Sustainability needs to be more than just a buzz word. Tom Batchelor looks at how engine makers innovating with the use of clean fuels
The drive to decarbonise commercial aircraft engines has pushed the industry to take bold steps in its quest for zero-emission flights by 2050 – a target agreed by the International Air Transport Association in October 2021. The global aviation sector was responsible for 2.8% of CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion in 2019, but cutting the sector’s absolute and relative carbon footprint looks increasingly realistic. This could be through the development of new propulsion technologies, such as hydrogen and electric, or by means of improvements in operational efficiency, carbon removal and, crucially, ramped up production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Currently, the use of SAF is subject to a 50% regulatory limit, as most sustainable fuels lack aromatic hydrocarbons that cause seals in engines to swell and prevent fuel leaks. Efforts to overcome this issue include allowing two or more different SAFs to be blended, to produce a‘drop-in’ replacement for conventional jet fuel in existing aircraft, and developing non-drop-in fuels that would only work in future aircraft. While development…
