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As the global aviation industry progresses toward a net zero emissions goal by 2050, there’s tremendous excitement around sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as a promising pathway to success.
Not only is it a low-carbon alternative to conventional, petroleum-based jet fuel, but it is the most feasible option in the near term. Aerospace leaders, like Eaton, investors, and policymakers have conducted significant research to explore SAF’s potential, as well as its compatibility with today’s global aircraft fleet and current fuel systems and equipment.
Before digging into the impact on aircraft technology, it’s helpful to understand the basic science behind sustainable fuels.
SAF is produced by converting readily available materials or feedstocks such as mustard seeds, waste vegetable oils, green and municipal wastes into an aviation fuel suitable for mixing or as a direct replacement for existing fuels, the latter often referred to as ‘drop-in’. It’s also created through a synthetic process that involves capturing carbon directly from the air commonly called power-to-liquid (PtL). The International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the U.S. Department of Energy both offer comprehensive overviews of materials and processes that can be used in SAF production.
During SAF production, CO2 is extracted from the atmosphere. While the combustion process releases CO2, as other petroleum or fossil-based fuels do, the production of the feedstock or alternative materials removes CO2 from the atmosphere. Hence, it is a balanced and sustainable solution. It is estimated that shifting to SAF entirely will reduce emissions by 88%. (This percentage assumes that all energy sources used during the production of SAF are zero emission, such as solar or wind power).
With demand for air passenger journeys expected to exceed 10 billion by 2050, according to IATA, the switch to cleaner fuel options is imperative. Fuel providers and regulators are working to accelerate market growth, but the high production costs of SAF don’t make it as scalable as needed to achieve necessary reductions.
As a leading fuel systems and component provider, Eaton is at the forefront of ensuring our products are prepared to meet environmental standards and targets. In fact, Eaton’s current fuel portfolio will be compatible with SAF by 2030. Our engineers have conducted rigorous evaluations and determined that our fuel systems and equipment are compatible with ‘drop-in’ SAF. This is an exciting development as we continue to understand the short- to long-term effects of drop-in SAF and alternative SAF, which are composed of different chemistries.
Our Aerospace Group is engaged with several OEMs to understand the progression of SAF and its impact on fuel components. Additionally, our experts have conducted preliminary assessments of the fuel systems products and were able to confirm some expected effects of alternative SAF (non-drop-in).
Key findings include:
There’s much more work to do to reach the levels of SAF required to meet the industry’s net zero emissions timeline and goals. While there’s no quick or easy solution, we believe meaningful reductions in CO2 are within reach, especially with advancements in SAF, electrification, and more. At Eaton, we’re committed to being a model for sustainability and are working with our partners – and their customers – to achieve the same.
To learn more about our advanced technologies for aerospace fuel systems or to speak with a subject matter expert, please contact us today.
