Is a new era of green air travel possible by 2025?

Neville Hargreaves is working at technology firm Velocys on turning everyday waste into jet fuel at a commercial scale. In this “Good Tourism” Insight, Dr Hargreaves explains why he thinks sustainable aviation fuel is the only realistic near-term solution to air travel’s climate quandary.

The ongoing impact of COVID-19 has been debilitating, but it has also forced the global community to pause and consider how our actions impact the world around us. There is consensus that we must use this hugely disruptive period to ensure a greener restart. Aviation has a critically important role to play in the recovery; re-establishing trade, reconnecting communities, and kickstarting tourism. But we must ensure that travel resumes in as green a way as possible.

Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is the only way to achieve meaningful decarbonisation of aviation in the near term. Whilst some point to battery power, the energy density and performance of the technology cannot match liquid hydrocarbon fuel. Hydrogen has perhaps more promise, but is similarly low in volumetric density. Both require substantial aircraft redesign. Comparatively, SAF can decarbonise aviation immediately using existing planes and as such offers the only realistic prospect of reducing net greenhouse gas emissions to zero for a long-haul flight.

For the full "GT" Insight, please visit https://goodtourismblog.com/2020/11/with-sustainable-aviation-fuel-is-a-new-era-of-green-air-travel-possible-by-2025/