Aviation’s Movement Toward Sustainable Fuel

The push toward a green future for our planet is inspiring countless industries to develop reliable, environmentally effective methods for their companies. Aircraft transit is no different, with a campaign for sustainable aviation fuel (or SAF) having begun in 2015.

According to author Gregory Polek of ainonline.com, recent results of the testing have proven to be quite promising, with fuel composition of the latest trials being made up of 100% SAF, rather than a SAF-kerosene hybrid.

“Known as ECLIF3, the study into inflight emissions and associated ground tests began earlier this year and recently resumed. It involves Airbus, Rolls-Royce, German research center DLR, and SAF producer Neste. The interdisciplinary team… plans to publish its results in academic journals toward the end of next year or in 2023.”¹

The SAF is proving to be highly effective in reducing the carbon footprint of aerial vehicles, a consistent decrease following each round of testing as the SAF percentage increased.

“The research team found SAF releases fewer particulates than conventional kerosene at all tested engine operating conditions, which points to the potential for reduced climate impact and improvement in air quality around airports.”¹

This fuel efficiency can be credited to SAF’s low density and high energy content, allowing an aircraft to burn far less fuel while covering the same distance on a trip.

The trips that have been used for testing have been no small feats, either.

“In April, the A350 flew three flights over the Mediterranean Sea pursued by a DLR Falcon chaser plane to compare in-flight emissions of both kerosene and Neste’s hydro-processed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) sustainable fuel.”¹

Standard-length journeys using kerosene-SAF hybrid fuel and pure SAF have gone off without a hitch, neither variants leading to problems in the aircraft or during the journey.

With safety issues nonexistent and the efficiency of the fuel looking ever more promising, the push for less regulated testing is growing. In order for SAF to become a worldwide usage for aircraft, testing in less controlled environments is needed to further prove its capability.

Such an age where all aircraft carbon emissions can be cut in half is likely to be soon upon us, and with such a development, we can move forward to create even more sustainable fuel for aviation.

Capitol Tech offers many opportunities in aviation and unmanned systems, where you can help push toward an advanced, sustainable future in the aircraft industry. To learn more about these programs, visit captechu.edu and peruse the various courses and degrees offered. Many courses are available both on campus and online. For more information, contact admissions@captechu.edu.

References

1. Polek, G. (2021, November 29). Airbus Reports Promising Results from 100 percent SAF Tests. Retrieved from https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/air-transport/2021-11-29/airbus-reports-promising-results-100-percent-saf-tests.