In
the previous instalment of the Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) article series,
we had a look at the current SAF policy landscape on the global scale, as well
as in the EU and in the United Kingdom. We saw that legislative support for SAF
incorporation remains very recent, and that Europe and North America are
currently leading the way in this aspect. In this second article, we shed some
more light on the current technological tools available for the production of
SAF, as well as the main technologies being explored for future use. We show
that although Asia and Africa lag behind other regions in terms of policy
support, they are both aiming to place themselves at the forefront of
feedstocks supply for the production of aviation fuels.
Several
technologies have been developed for the production of SAF, all with varying
degrees of GHG emission reductions. These technologies are often patented by
producers and key players within the SAF supply sector. However, there remain
similarities between them all. Most approved SAF fuels are drop-in fuels which can
be blended with conventional petroleum-derived fuels at high inclusion rates,
and used in conventional engines. Contrary to sustainable fuel types commonly
used for road transport where inclusion rates are limited by conventional fuels
standards, Many SAF fuels can be blended to high concentrations of up to 50%. In
addition, SAF can make a significant impact in the fight to reduce GHG
emissions by reducing life-cycle emissions by as much as 80%. In addition to established fuels
such as HVO and ethanol-derived SAF, e-fuels and zero emissions hydrogen-based
fuels are being actively researched. Although these are yet to make it to the
market, the ambition is to have the world’s first zero fuel emission commercial
aircraft by 2035.
In
this article, we start by providing an overview of the main feedstocks used for
the production of sustainable aviation fuels. Then, we cover the main
technologies being used to produce SAF in more detail. In addition, we look at two
promising innovations which are likely to bring the sector even further in its
ambition to reduce GHG emissions and to provide zero-emissions commercial
flights in the near future.
To read the rest of the article, click here.