Advanced BioFuels USA

by Emily Kent & Jonathan Lewis (Zero Carbon Fuels/Clean Air Task Force) … A new CATF analysis, conducted and co-authored by Na’im Merchant, that examines the potential roles for biofuels and scalable zero-emissions fuels such as hydrogen to reduce aviation emissions found that the full supply of biofuels — all of which we assumed to be climate-beneficial, for the sake of argument — would still not amount to enough to address the growing demand for aviation energy, even if all projected biofuels production was directed to the aviation sector. In fact, the U.S. would have to more than double its biofuel production just to meet domestic aviation energy demand, despite being the global leader in biofuel production.

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If we’re going to decarbonize aviation, we’re likely to need biofuels that are demonstrably climate-beneficial, low-emission hydrogen, synthetic fuels, and maybe some electric propulsion to meet the demand while staying on track to meet our climate goals. Pursuing multiple options at once reduces the pressure on any one solution to meet demand, and hedges against unforeseen developments that could hinder the advancement of any given solution. To pursue this expanded suite of options to decarbonize aviation, governments must develop a coherent policy response that includes:  

• Investment in research, development, and deployment of next generation fuels
• Tax credits or subsidies to incentivize investment and production
• Regulations to accelerate demand
• Technical standards — including full life-cycle accounting of the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions tied to the production, transport, cand use of aviation fuels

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Synthetic kerosene and other scalable zero-emission fuels that contain carbon need to achieve near net-zero emissions through carbon capture so there is no (or very low) net increase to carbon emissions in the atmosphere. Electrification may also be an alternative for some parts of the aviation sector. Many of these energy options are at the early stages in development and provide challenges and opportunities that should be considered as a part of the strategy to decarbonize aviation.  

• Synthetic fuels made using CO2 and hydrogen as feedstocks 
• Electrification of aviation fleets to eliminate CO2 emission and contrails and provide other environmental and economic benefits 
• Hydrogen fuel produced with minimal GHG emissions   
• Efficiencies and behavior change to reduce fuel consumption and decrease passenger demand   
• Carbon removal through DAC with carbon storage to offset emissions from conventional jet fuel 

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Decarbonizing the aviation sector will take a global transition, as aviation biofuel availability falls well short of the sector’s growing demand for energy. Comprehensive policies and innovative and diverse technologies are critical to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. 

• In the U.S., policymakers are determining how to best decarbonize aviation and policies are in place, including the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act, that intend to benefit sustainable aviation fuels. But more comprehensive and aligned policies are needed to develop scalable zero-emissions fuels and electric propulsion technologies and their necessary infrastructure. 
• Improve the environmental performance of low-carbon biofuels and prioritize the available low-net-emissions biofuels for aviation, as it’s likely the sector with the fewest decarbonization alternatives 

In the European Union, the European Commission has used mechanisms to address aviation greenhouse gas emissions, such as including aviation in the EU Emissions Trading System, creating the Single European Sky regulatory framework, and collaborating with the private sector under the Clean Sky Joint Undertaking. And while the EU has taken a significant leap through the ReFuelEU Aviation proposal, it needs to address the increased energy demand and supply chain constraints. Complementary to the proposal, the EU should: 

• Address potential supply chain and cost restraints associated with low-carbon aviation biofuels and SZEFs 
• Invest in alternative low-carbon aviation fuels   READ MORE