{"id":10886,"date":"2023-12-13T10:57:11","date_gmt":"2023-12-13T07:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviation-news.info\/?p=10886"},"modified":"2024-08-12T15:11:49","modified_gmt":"2024-08-12T12:11:49","slug":"these-major-airlines-just-flew-planes-powered-entirely-by-sustainable-aviation-fuel-so-whats-next","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviation-news.info\/?p=10886","title":{"rendered":"These Major Airlines Just Flew Planes Powered Entirely by Sustainable Aviation Fuel\u2014So, What’s Next?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Air aviation news – Air travel contributes to 2.5 percent of our global carbon emissions<\/a>, often getting named as one of the biggest contributors to climate change. So it\u2019s no surprise that airlines are all upping their sustainability efforts, especially in the race to find jet fuel alternatives in the form of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).<\/p>\n

Three weeks ago,\u00a0Emirates<\/a>\u00a0successfully\u00a0completed a demo flight on an A380<\/a>\u00a0from Dubai International Airport, with one of its four engines using 100 percent SAF. \u201cThis demonstrated SAF\u2019s potential as a viable alternative that matches jet fuel\u2019s technical and chemical requirements while being more sustainable,\u201d a spokesperson for the\u00a0Dubai<\/a>-based carrier tells\u00a0Cond\u00e9 Nast Traveler<\/em>\u00a0of the November 22 milestone.<\/p>\n

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Less than a week later,\u00a0Virgin Atlantic<\/a>\u00a0also grabbed headlines, completing the\u00a0first trans-Atlantic Ocean<\/a>\u00a0flight from\u00a0London Heathrow<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0New York City<\/a>\u2019s John F. Kennedy, on a Boeing 787 running on Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines fueled completely by 100 percent SAF. But there’s more to celebrate than just the flight distance. What made this trip\u2014dubbed Flight 100\u2014so notable was that it\u00a0received a special permit<\/a>\u00a0from the UK to go beyond the current global 50 percent SAF limit on commercial flights to go all in on the alternative. \u201cFlight 100 proves that SAF is a safe drop-in replacement for fossil-derived jet fuel and the only mid-term viable solution for decarbonizing long-haul aviation,\u201d the UK-based carrier\u2019s spokesperson says.<\/p>\n

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It can be tough to wrap your head around the technicalities, so we broke down what this means for the future of travel ahead.<\/p>\n

What is SAF made of?<\/h2>\n

A\u00a0United<\/a>\u00a0spokesperson explains that the fuel alternative can be made from all sorts of renewable sources, including ethanol, algae, municipal water, as well as captured and repurposed carbon. \u201cIn its final form, SAF is almost chemically identical to normal jet fuel, and meets the same strict industry standards for conventional jet fuel, but can reduce a plane\u2019s emissions by up to 85 percent,\u201d the Chicago-based carrier says.<\/p>\n

For example, Flight 100 used a \u201cunique dual blend,” according to the airline’s spokeperson. It contained 88 percent\u00a0AirBP<\/a>-supplied Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) made of waste fats, and 12 percent\u00a0Virent<\/a>-provided Synthetic Aromatic Kerosene (SAK), which is made from plant sugars. Fully 100 percent SAF blends all require SAK \u201cto give the fuel the required aromatics for engine function,\u201d the airline explains.<\/p>\n

Will fliers notice the difference?<\/h2>\n

The two airlines say that, for consumers, the SAF-powered flight experience will be exactly the same as ones powered by traditional fuel. Where travelers could see a difference is on the price tag. After all, right now there isn\u2019t the supply needed to fuel planes on a large scale, so the low supply means higher prices for the airlines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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WATCH<\/p>\n

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