Certain airlines are trying out fuels used in aviation which are environmentally friendly. Image credit to Michael H. Stone from Getty Images. Several major airlines have made a commitment to achieve a balance between carbon emissions they produce and the amount they take out of the environment by the year 2050 in an effort to combat climate change. The aim of making use of merely sustainable aviation fuels is a lofty one and it’s going to require a tremendous increase in production, however, our recent study demonstrates it won’t be enough. Even though the notion of aircrafts powered solely by fuel derived from kitchen oil from eateries or corn stalks may sound like a thing from the future, actually it’s not that distant. Several airlines are already testing out these types of fuels. Examples of biofuels produced from organic sources are things such as plant residue, timber, maize, and recycling cooking oil. Synthetic fuels can be created by combining carbon from the atmosphere and hydrogen that has been generated by renewable sources. Often, renewable fuels can be added directly to aircraft fuel tanks which usually contain fossil fuels. In February 2023, United Airlines declared they had formed an alliance with firms in biofuels to operate 50,000 flights that primarily rely on ethanol-based sustainable aviation fuels between its hubs in Chicago and Denver by 2028. This current study surveyed different options available to air travel in order to reach emissions near zero and looked at ways to keep flying without disturbing the climate. The conclusion: Every choice has its advantages and drawbacks and some challenges to surpass. It will be important to replace traditional jet fuel with renewable aviation fuels, yet the industry will still need to commit to capturing and storing carbon in the atmosphere that cannot be reduced. These projections show what the future may look like.
