Frequently Asked Questions
Sustainable aviation fuel is made from renewable energy sources such as cooking oil, municipal waste and woody biomass. The fuel source has already powered over 250,000 flights around the world and has the potential to reduce lifecycle emissions by up to 80%, compared with conventional fuel.
Experts believe sustainable aviation fuel is the best short-term solution for reducing emissions within the industry, while hydrogen propulsion technologies are developed. Once hydrogen aviation capabilities are commercialised, it is expected to overtake the fuel source as the most viable way for decarbonising the industry.
As net-zero by 2050 becomes the universal standard for both governments and companies, the aviation industry is beginning to transition to a carbon-free model. For this reason, you can break aviation fuel types into two categories, emissions-generating and carbon-free.
Emissions-generating:
- Jet fuel is a clear to straw-coloured fuel used to power commercial airliners and is based on either unleaded kerosene or a naphtha-kerosene blend.
- Aviation gasoline uses the same fuel as motor vehicles to power small aircraft or light helicopters.
- Biofuels are alternatives to conventional fossil-based aviation fuels made from biomass. Examples of this include sustainable aviation fuel, which requires few or no modifications to power an aeroplane.
Carbon-free:
- An electric aircraft runs off one or more battery-powered motors.
- A hydrogen-powered aircraft is an aeroplane that runs off hydrogen and is fast becoming viewed as the best alternative to conventional fuel.
Green hydrogen is a carbon-free fuel source that is being used to decarbonise multiple global industries — energy, maritime, aviation, transport and automotive.
Yes, hydrogen can be used as an aviation fuel. The fuel source is predicted to revolutionise the industry and power the next generation of aeroplanes.
These planes run off advanced hydrogen fuel cells, which create a chemical reaction from combining hydrogen and oxygen. This energy is then used to generate electricity to power the aircraft, with the only by-product being water.