Airlines rush toward sustainable fuel but supplies are limited

Airlines rolled out a slew of sustainable fuel initiatives in the run-up to COP26, aiming to prove they’re serious about the fight against global warming. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a substitute for the fossil-based kerosene powering today’s jet turbines, is derived from a variety of ingredients, from waste oils and fats to sugar crops and some trees and grasses. British Airways operated a “carbon neutral” flight to Glasgow, while EasyJet will use a SAF blend on 42 flights out of London Gatwick airport. United Airlinescommitted to buying 1.5b gallons of SAF made from forest and crop waste. The sudden embrace of kerosene alternatives makes sense for an airline industry desperate to avoid another shock after the decimation caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. If scaled quickly, SAF could help airlines fend off calls for emissions-related restrictions on flying, and clear the way for a return to growth. Some industry participants are concerned that the publicity is outpacing palpable progress. “It feels a little frothy right now,” said Gene Gebolys, CEO of World Energy, one of two companies supplying commercial quantities of SAF in the US. “It can’t be just a press release battle. There’s got to be authenticity here.” A crucial selling point of SAF is that it offers a way to make immediate progress toward cutting CO₂ emissions, given more impactful changes like hydrogen- and electric-powered planes are still on the drawing board. SAF is made without extracting more fossil fuel, and can be blended for use in existing aircraft. One of the main challenges is cost. SAF is typically three to four times more expensive than kerosene, so airlines aren’t buying it in bulk. As a result, very little is being produced. If Delta filled all its planes for one day, the carrier would soak up a year’s worth of US SAF supply, said CEO Ed Bastian. Energy producers “don’t know if they have a client, and the airlines can’t afford to pay that much higher level of cost,” Bastian said. “That’s why we’re working with our people in Washington” on getting tax credits for SAF fuel blends.<br/>