Is aviation biofuels ready for take-off?

Aviation accounts for around 15% of global oil demand growth up to 2030 in the International Energy Agency (IEA) New Policies Scenario, a similar amount to the growth from passenger vehicles. Such a rise means that aviation will account for 3.5% of global energy related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2030, up from just over 2.5% today, despite ongoing improvements in aviation efficiency. This expansion underscores the need for the aviation industry to tackle its carbon emissions. For now, liquid hydrocarbon fuels such as jet fuel remain the only means of powering commercial air   travel. Therefore, along with a sustained improvement in energy efficiency, sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), such as aviation biofuels, are key to reducing aviation’s carbon emissions. Cutting carbon  emissions The aviation industry has committed to reducing carbon emissions by 50% from its 2005 level by 2050. Blending lower carbon SAF with fossil jet fuel will be essential to meeting this goal. This is reflected in the IEA’s ...