Plan Hinges on Widespread Use of SAF

A wide arrangement of countries assembled under the United Nations banner to agree on emissions reductions for the global aviation industry, initially targeting a drop of up to 8% but ultimately coming down to a 5% cut by 2030.

The goal came following 5 days of talks involving industry stakeholders and ICAO personnel, wrangling the numbers to a point they felt was achievable while sending a “clear and positive signal” to investors and operators worldwide: Invest in alternative fuels, and use them. Right now, aviation remains a fat target for those looking to slash emissions, accounting for about 2% to 3% of world carbon output.

The plan will rely heavily on the use and spread of ‘cleaner’ energy sources like Sustainable Aviation Fuel - just about the only realistic option on the table for large aircraft. Battery power has been coming along bit by bit, but overall endurance, performance, and charging remains a bugbear for anything larger than small 4-place GA aircraft. Hybrid systems, hydrogen fuel cells also hold some promise, but nothing has reached mass production or gained enough momentum to carve out a market for itself. The good news is that SAF production has consistently improved, and if there’s one feedstock the world can spare in large quantities, it’s used cooking oil, soybean oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, and the whole myriad of vegetable-based oils.

FMI: www.icao.int