Airlines face long haul to reach sustainable fuel goals

When an estimated 20,000 people arrive in Glasgow for the UN climate change conference this weekend, they will draw inevitable jibes about the tonnes of carbon emitted by the aircraft many fly in on. The airline industry, acknowledging the problem, this month pledged to reach net zero flying by 2050. But the “sustainable aviation fuel” that forms the core of its strategy is scarce, costs multiples of petroleum-based jet fuel and in some cases may cause changes in cropland that undercut emissions goals, analysts say. Flying is one of the hardest industries to decarbonise and technologies such as electricity- or hydrogen-powered aircraft are years from carrying a plane full of people over long distances. Commercial aviation accounts up to 5% of global warming and its travel growth is “unparalleled” by any other mode of transport, led by middle-class and white-collar flyers in developing and emerging economies, according to the International Energy Agency. The IATA’s 2050 target relies heavily on changing fuel mixes to achieve nearly two-thirds of its planned reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The trade group estimates about 450b litres a year of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will be needed in 2050, or about two-thirds of total fuel consumption. Current annual SAF production is only 100m litres, the Iata estimates. United Airlines has laid out plans to buy nearly 7bn litres of SAF over the next 20 years, which it says is the biggest commitment in the industry. One of its jetliners took a test flight from Houston this month with an engine that burnt fuel derived from sugars found in corn. But sustainable fuel still represents less than 1% of the fuel United currently burns in a normal year. “There’s no sustainable aviation fuel that is cost competitive yet with traditional jet fuel,” said Scott Kirby, United CE. “That’s why it’s important for us to invest and drive down the cost curve.” <br/>