Aviation Sector and NGOs Agree on Sustainability of Future Fuels

(European Climate Foundation) Given that EU leaders have committed to achieving a net-zero-carbon economy by 2050, there is a growing focus on how to accelerate the transition towards climate-neutral aviation.

As the European Union is about to unveil new targets for sustainable aviation fuel in 2021, a group of major European aviation companies – including KLM, Easyjet, Air France, International Airlines Group – as well as research organisations and environmental groups are calling for a more stringent policy approach to sustainability and the sector’s climate impact.

In a statement, the group provides recommendations on the sustainability aspects of the EU’s policy design to support Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF).

The Fuelling Flight initiative was convened by the European Climate Foundation (ECF) and ClimateWorks Foundation (CWF) to provide recommendations on the sustainability aspects of the EU’s policy design to support Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF). Technical advice was provided by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).

“Europe must ensure that future policies only promote the most sustainable fuels for reducing the climate impact of aviation, and the EU needs to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. The current Renewable Energy Directive does not ensure that fuels used in Europe meet the sustainability standards desired by civil society nor of leading airlines. In the Fueling Flight initiative, aviation companies, research organisations and environmental groups have now reached agreement on this important topic, and we propose shared guidelines on how to minimise environmental impacts. Policymakers should take this into consideration when defining a policy framework that is fair, affordable and meets the highest sustainability standards without compromise.” -- Pete Harrison, Executive Director for EU Policy at the European Climate Foundation READ MORE

CONSENSUS STATEMENT ON GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR SUPPORTING THE DEPLOYMENT OF SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUELS IN THE EU (Fuelling Flight Project)

Excerpt from Fuelling Flight Project: Exclude Biofuels Produced from Dedicated Cropland
Biofuels produced from dedicated land —whether it was previously used for growing crops or if it has been newly converted— have been shown to compete with production of food or feed for livestock or carbon sequestration from reforestation. Several rounds of indirect land-use change (ILUC) modeling conducted by various jurisdictions suggest for example that many common food-based biofuels have ILUC emissions that undermine their carbon savings. This creates risks around sustainability and public perception, and support for such fuels should be excluded from any future EU policy to promote SAF production.

Prioritize Fuels Made from Wastes & Residues
The data is clear that SAFs from wastes and residues can provide GHG reductions compared to their fossil fuel alternative. Over the next several years, waste oils may deliver small volumes of sustainable, low-carbon SAF— but in the longer-term, the EU must invest in fuels made from more abundant resources such as agricultural residues, separately-collected municipal bio-waste, and electrofuels.

Residues are not always truly wasted, as they have a market and ecological value. Cereal straw, for example, is often used for livestock bedding or horticulture, and allowing it to decompose in situ can return valuable minerals to the soil and prevent erosion. But such residues can be converted to a sustainable fuel with high GHG savings, providing they are certified as extracted within the boundaries of sustainability. The waste hierarchy is an important consideration for identifying which wastes and residues are sustainably available for SAF production. The precise guidelines for sustainable availability will by necessity vary by location and on a feedstock-by-feedstock basis; for example, the guidelines for agricultural residues will be different than those for forestry wastes and municipal solid waste.

Case by Case Assessments
Sustainability risks aren’t restricted to food-based biofuels or other dedicated crops. Even wastes and residues have impacts that are highly location-specific.

Fuels of Non-Biological Origin
The theoretical availability of fuels of non-biological origin greatly exceeds the potential of fuels made from wastes and residues. Liquid fuels of non-biological origin, for example those generated from industrial waste gases, can contribute to our climate goals, although it will be important to ensure that they do not provide a continued business case for fossil fuel use and to undertake full Life Cycle Assessment to ensure that the fuel generates real GHG reductions relative to the fossil baseline. Including indirect effects within the analysis is necessary to ensure that waste gas diversion or the additional electricity needed for electrofuels doesn’t generate additional fossil fuel demand.

Cover Cropping
Cover crops, if grown before or after main crops, may also provide additional feedstock for SAF production. However, there are several environmental and climate uncertainties in relation to these crops, especially on their indirect impacts. To reduce the risk of indirect effects, it must be demonstrated that cover crops eligible for SAF policy support do not interfere with the growth of main crops on existing cropland. READ MORE