Katerina Swanson
The aviation industry is booming, with the number of air passengers set to double in the next 20 years. Aviation demand is particularly noticeable in the Asia Pacific region, where growing economic wealth is opening up new travel opportunities. This expansion underlines the need for the aviation industry to tackle its carbon emissions. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a biofuel used to power aircraft that has similar properties to conventional jet fuel but with a smaller carbon footprint. SAF can be blended with jet fuel to reduce overall emissions, and depending on the feedstock and technologies used to produce it, SAF can reduce emissions dramatically compared to conventional jet fuel.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Aviation biofuel types | Synthetic paraffinic kerosene (SPK), Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), bio-jet fuel, bio-aviation fuel (BAF) |
| Aviation biofuel sources | Plants, animals, waste |
| CO2 emissions reduction | 20-98% compared to conventional jet fuel |
| 2023 SAF production | 600 million liters, 0.2% of global jet fuel use |
| 2024 SAF production projection | 1.3 billion liters, 0.3% of global jet fuel consumption, 11% of global renewable fuel production |
| SAF production projection by 2030 | 10% of aviation fuel demand |
| SAF production projection by 2040 | 20% of aviation fuel demand |
| Global liquid biofuel production in 2019 | 4.3 exajoules |
| Global aviation jet fuel use in 2019 | 13 exajoules |
| Projected land needed for biofuel production to eliminate jet fuel | 300 million hectares |
| Number of airports with regular biofuel distribution | 5 (Bergen, Brisbane, Los Angeles, Oslo, Stockholm) |
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What You'll Learn
- Biofuel can reduce CO2 emissions by 20-98% compared to conventional jet fuel
- Biofuel production requires a lot of land, which could lead to deforestation
- Biofuel is blended with jet fuel to reduce overall emissions
- The aviation industry has committed to reducing carbon emissions by 50% from 2005 levels by 2050
- Biofuels can be made from plant or animal sources such as Jatropha, algae, tallows, waste oils, and palm oil
Biofuel can reduce CO2 emissions by 20-98% compared to conventional jet fuel
Aviation biofuel, also known as bio-jet fuel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), or bio-aviation fuel (BAF), is a key element in reducing the environmental impact of aviation. It is used to decarbonize medium and long-haul air travel, which generates the most emissions.
Biofuels are biomass-derived fuels from plants, animals, or waste. Depending on the type of biomass used, they can lower CO2 emissions by 20-98% compared to conventional jet fuel. For instance, biofuels derived from photosynthetic algae can save up to 98% of emissions, while those from non-food crops and forest residues can save 91-95%.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) committed to halving carbon emissions by 2050. To meet this goal, lower-carbon SAF must be blended with fossil jet fuel. Biofuels can also reduce the carbon footprint of older aircraft, extending their life.
However, biofuel production, processing, and transport emit greenhouse gases, reducing overall savings. Additionally, the land needed to produce biofuels can lead to deforestation and reduced carbon sequestration. Nonetheless, with the right feedstocks, aviation biofuels offer a promising solution to reducing the aviation industry's carbon emissions.
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Biofuel production requires a lot of land, which could lead to deforestation
Aviation biofuels, also known as bio-jet fuel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), or bio-aviation fuel (BAF), are key to reducing the environmental impact of aviation. They are used to decarbonize medium and long-haul air travel, which generates the most emissions.
Biofuels are biomass-derived fuels from plants, animals, or waste. Depending on the type of biomass used, they could lower CO2 emissions by 20–98% compared to conventional jet fuel. For example, biofuels derived from photosynthetic algae could save up to 98% of emissions, while those from non-food crops and forest residues could save 91–95%.
However, biofuel production requires a lot of land, which could lead to deforestation. In a high-demand scenario where jet fuel is eliminated, around 300 million hectares of cropland would be needed, an area the size of India. This could result in a significant climate cost, as cropland availability will already be limited due to population and economic growth, leading to more land-intensive diets.
To address this issue, policymakers can place limits on future crops grown specifically for biofuels and encourage the use of advanced biofuels that do not require dedicated land, such as those made from agricultural wastes or residues. Marginal land can also be utilized for growing biofuel crops, and underutilized crops such as Carthamus tinctorius, Ricinus communis, and Brassica carinata can be selected for their high productivity and resilience on marginal lands.
Additionally, the aviation industry has committed to reducing carbon emissions by 50% from their 2005 levels by 2050. Blending lower-carbon SAF with fossil jet fuel will be crucial to achieving this goal. As of 2024, SAF production was 1.3 billion liters, representing 0.3% of global jet fuel consumption and 11% of global renewable fuel production.
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Biofuel is blended with jet fuel to reduce overall emissions
The aviation industry has been booming, with the number of air passengers projected to double over the next two decades. Aviation demand is particularly noticeable in the Asia Pacific region, where growing economic wealth is opening up new travel opportunities. Aviation currently accounts for around 15% of global oil demand growth up to 2030, a similar amount to the growth from passenger vehicles. This means that aviation will account for 3.5% of global energy-related CO2 emissions by 2030, up from just over 2.5% today.
The aviation industry has committed to reducing carbon emissions by 50% from their 2005 level by 2050. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), also known as aviation biofuel, is a key element in reducing the environmental impact of aviation. SAF is a biofuel used to power aircraft that has similar properties to conventional jet fuel but with a smaller carbon footprint. Biofuels are biomass-derived fuels from plants, animals, or waste. Depending on the type of biomass used, they could lower CO2 emissions by 20–98% compared to conventional jet fuel.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) considers aviation biofuel a key element in reducing the environmental impact of aviation. Aviation biofuel is used to decarbonize medium and long-haul air travel, which generates the most emissions and could extend the life of older aircraft types by lowering their carbon footprint. Synthetic paraffinic kerosene (SPK) refers to any non-petroleum-based fuel designed to replace kerosene jet fuel, which is often, but not always, made from biomass.
There are several methods to produce aviation biofuel. It can be produced from plant or animal sources such as Jatropha, algae, tallows, waste oils, palm oil, Babassu, and Camelina (bio-SPK). It can also be produced from solid biomass using pyrolysis processed with a Fischer-Tropsch process (FT-SPK) or with an alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) process from waste fermentation. Small piston engines can be modified to burn ethanol.
While biofuels offer a promising solution, there are some challenges and limitations to their use. The production, processing, and transport of biofuels emit greenhouse gases, reducing the emissions savings. Additionally, energy crops that involve changes in land use can have harmful ecological consequences, including deforestation and wetlands loss. Furthermore, the scale of organic waste diversion for SAF production is currently limited, and the expansion of palm oil cultivation can lead to biodiversity loss.
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The aviation industry has committed to reducing carbon emissions by 50% from 2005 levels by 2050
The aviation industry has set a goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, aiming to reduce emissions by 50% compared to 2005 levels. This is a challenging target, given the expected increase in demand for air travel, which could lead to a 300% rise in greenhouse gas emissions by the middle of the century if no actions are taken.
Aviation biofuels, also known as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), are key to achieving this goal. SAFs can reduce carbon emissions by 20-80%, and even up to 98% with certain feedstocks, compared to conventional jet fuel. However, the production, processing, and transport of biofuels also emit greenhouse gases, reducing the overall emissions savings. Additionally, the land requirements for biofuel production can lead to deforestation and reduced carbon sequestration, which are further challenges to be addressed.
To meet the growing demand for SAF, the aviation industry is exploring various feedstocks, such as woody biomass, agricultural and municipal waste, and plant sources like Jatropha, algae, and waste oils. However, the high production costs and limited supply of SAF have slowed its adoption, and significantly faster market development is needed to achieve the industry's emission reduction targets.
Political agreements, such as the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario (NZE Scenario), and fiscal policies, like tax credits and grants, are in place to promote the use of SAF and support the necessary increase in production capacity. Additionally, the centralised nature of aviation fuelling means that SAF availability at a small number of airports could cover a large proportion of international flights.
The transition to SAF and net-zero emissions in the aviation industry is crucial, as it is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize due to the carbon-intensive nature of flying and the lack of alternative fuel sources.
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Biofuels can be made from plant or animal sources such as Jatropha, algae, tallows, waste oils, and palm oil
Aviation biofuels are key to reducing the carbon emissions of the aviation industry. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) considers aviation biofuel a crucial element in reducing the environmental impact of aviation.
Biofuels are biomass-derived fuels from plants, animals, or waste. They can be made from plant or animal sources such as Jatropha, algae, tallows, waste oils, and palm oil. Jatropha is a non-food oil that can be used as a biofuel and can thrive on marginal land where most plants produce low yields. However, the expansion of palm oil cultivation can lead to biodiversity loss and deforestation. Algae-based biofuels can have high yields and be grown with minimal impact on freshwater resources, but they require large amounts of energy and fertilizer, and the produced fuel degrades faster than other biofuels.
Photosynthetic algae-based biofuels can lower CO2 emissions by up to 98% compared to conventional jet fuel, while non-food crops and forest residues can achieve 91-95% savings. Jatropha biofuels can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 85% if former agro-pastoral land is used, but they can increase emissions by up to 60% if natural woodland is converted.
The aviation industry has set a goal of reducing carbon emissions by 50% from 2005 levels by 2050. To achieve this, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) or biofuels will need to blend with fossil jet fuel. By 2050, biofuels could power 100% of medium- and long-haul flights, with electric and hydrogen power taking over 50% of short-haul flights. However, the land requirements for biofuel production are significant, with high-demand scenarios requiring around 300 million hectares of cropland, an area the size of India.
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Frequently asked questions
Aviation biofuel, also known as bio-jet fuel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), or bio-aviation fuel (BAF), is a biofuel used to power aircraft.
SAF can be blended with jet fuel to reduce overall emissions. It has similar properties to conventional jet fuel but with a smaller carbon footprint.
Depending on the type of biomass used, aviation biofuel could lower CO2 emissions by 20–98% compared to conventional jet fuel.
Aviation biofuel can be produced from plant or animal sources such as Jatropha, algae, tallows, waste oils, palm oil, Babassu, and Camelina.
Energy crops that involve changes in land use can have harmful ecological consequences, including deforestation and wetlands loss. Additionally, the expansion of palm oil cultivation can lead to biodiversity loss and indirect emissions due to land-use change.
