Post #32 Blue-er Flights; Sustainable Aviation Fuels

I like travel & have been a passenger on many commercial airline flights. My reference to “bluer/blue-er” flights in this post means better for air quality. Aiming for constant improvement there. Following are some starter thoughts after research, about Sustainable Aviation Fuel (“SAF”) & particularly today Bio-Aviation Fuel(s) (“BAF”) (SAF/BAF: alternatives to electrofuels). Your own thinking & conclusions are also necessary.

Per the International Energy Agency, aviation/flights currently create ~ 2% of carbon pollution. & That is “more than some countries produce”. Let’s reduce the amount. There are active initiatives for keeping the sky’s air cleaner; to replace legacy fossil fuels as jet fuel. Using sustainable aviation biofuels could help decarbonize air travel. & Lower the carbon footprint of older aircraft types. Wikipedia notes: “An aviation biofuel (also known as bio-jet fuel or bio-aviation fuel [“BAF”]) is a biofuel used to power aircraft & [can be] a sustainable aviation fuel”. Following are a few beginner notes on biofuel(s) & progress.

Apparently “biofuels do not contain sulfur compounds & so do not emit sulfur dioxide. NASA … determined that 50% aviation biofuel mixture can cut particulate emissions caused by air traffic by 50–70%.” It is said: “sustainable biofuels do not compete with food crops, prime agricultural land, natural forest or fresh water.

*Sustainable aviation fuel is certified as being sustainable by a third-party organization.”

*Sustainability logic: “plants absorb carbon dioxide as they grow … plant-based biofuels emit only the same amount of greenhouse gases [they] previously absorbed.”

Two U.S.A. BAF examples in recent news re “turning corn into ethanol for fuel”. I read that last year: “United Airlines signed a deal … to buy enough ethanol to power 50,000 flights/year” & “Delta announced plans to create an [SAF] hub…”. Biofuel crops (such as corn) have encouraged new well & irrigation initiatives … since it would be “wise to tie new clean fuel incentives to sustainable best practices” including practices for use of groundwater.”

Airlines/entities that I read are actively investing/experimenting with alternatives include: already using some sustainable aviation fuel: Lufthansa. Have 2030 targets to use SAF: Air France & KLM. & Research & experimentation by: Virgin/Virgin Atlantic, & Airbus (plane manufacturers; including, is reported: progress in hydrogen-powered flight). & Air Company advises (on their website) that it is “directly turning CO2 from the atmosphere into sustainable aviation fuel”.

Interesting quote I read:  “…’Mark my words, the next 20 years, farmers are going to provide 95% of all the sustainable airline fuel’ President Joe Biden said.”