Sustainable aviation fuel is derived not from fossil-based oil or gas, but by refining organic or waste substances, which means less harm to the planet. But it's expensive and in short supply -- for now.
—
Which is all great news, particularly given the climate crisis focus of the Davos meeting and the presence of young campaigner Greta Thunberg.There's few reasons right now, the chief among them being something you might expect when dealing with anything connected to Davos.It's also in short supply -- but maybe not for long.Airbus has been trialing SAF use with its Beluga super-transporter aircraft.
"Sustainable fuel represents a significant opportunity for commercial aviation to reduce its carbon emissions so that flying remains a responsible choice for travelers," says McElroy, who leads the communications team for Boeing's 777 ecoDemonstrator, an aircraft that serves as a flying test bed for sustainability projects.
It's a start, but with 46.1 million annual flights that use regular fuel, SAF is barely scratching the surface of the industry's ambition to halve net carbon emissions by 2050, relative to 2005 levels. "When the fuel is used in an engine, it releases the absorbed carbon, effectively recycling it," he says."By comparison, fossil fuels are releasing carbon that was buried in the Earth for millions of years, increasing the amount of CO2 in today's atmosphere."Courtesy Boeing
These sources include plants that grow in the desert in the United Arab Emirates and nicotine-free tobacco in South Africa, oil from which is converted into biofuel. The project was a collaboration between Masdar Institute of Science and Technology at Khalifa University, Boeing, Etihad Airways, ADNOC, Safran, GE and BAUER Resources.
Even so, Paul Stein, chief technology officer at aero engine maker Rolls-Royce says all its latest aircraft engines can already operate using blended SAFs. "We're working with oil and gas companies to develop more SAF processes and increase the volumes available," he adds."Despite challenges of affordability and scalability, we believe SAFs are the only solution to long-haul aviation."
Last November for example, Shell Aviation announced that it will support the development of a SAF production plant called DSL-01, in Delfzijl, Netherlands. Another approach is to derive SAF from"black bag waste' -- non-recyclable garbage such as disposable diapers, takeaway coffee cups and food packaging.
The tech, says Velocys, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% for every metric ton of sustainable jet fuel that replaces a metric ton of conventional fossil fuel -- equivalent to taking up to 40,000 cars off the road annually. The project would utilize wood residue deposits and wood debris lying on forest floors to produce the biofuel.
Norge Siste Nytt, Norge Overskrifter
Similar News:Du kan også lese nyheter som ligner på denne som vi har samlet inn fra andre nyhetskilder.
Selena Gomez Is Officially Launching Her Own Makeup Line, Rare Beauty'We are not meant to look like everybody else, we’re meant to look like ourselves.'
Les mer »
Boeing finds debris in 737 MAX jetliners: company memoBoeing Co found debris that could pose potential safety risks in the fuel tanks ...
Les mer »
Video of man punching the back of airplane passenger’s seat sparks debate: ‘The seats are made to recline’A video of a man punching the back of another airplane passenger's seat has gone viral, and sparked debate about reclining on flights.
Les mer »
StanChart commits $75 billion toward sustainable development goalsStandard Chartered on Tuesday said it will provide $75 billion in financing by 2...
Les mer »
Deborah Latouche Launches Modest Label During London Fashion WeekStylist Deborah Latouche introduced a new modest brand that uses sustainable fabrics and bespoke designs at London Fashion Week.
Les mer »
How Sustainable Are Refillable Beauty Products, Really?Because no one uses just one lipstick at a time.
Les mer »