The use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) has proven to be an effective solution for reducing soot particle emissions and ice crystal formation in aircraft contrails, according to flight measurements conducted on an A350. This pioneering study, the first of its kind worldwide, demonstrates that SAF can significantly decrease the climate impact compared to conventional aviation fuel.
Reducing Contrail Climate Impact with SAF
Image: El Confidencial
Global simulations estimate that using 100% SAF can reduce the contrail climate impact by 26%. The results from the ECLIF3 study, which measured SAF’s impact on both engines of a Rolls-Royce Trent XWB-powered Airbus A350, showed a 56% reduction in ice crystal number in contrails per unit mass of unmixed consumed fuel compared to conventional Jet A-1 fuel. This reduction could significantly mitigate the warming effect of contrails.
Importance of Sustainable Fuel Use in Aviation
Image: Emirates
The ECLIF3 study is a collaboration between Airbus, Rolls-Royce, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and SAF producer Neste. This groundbreaking research measured the impact of using 100% SAF on an airliner’s emissions, providing essential data to understand how SAF can contribute to a more sustainable aviation. DLR’s chase plane trailed the A350 to collect detailed data during flights.
The use of sustainable fuels in aviation is crucial for reducing the sector’s environmental impact. SAF not only reduces CO2 emissions during its lifecycle but also decreases non-CO2 effects, such as contrail formation, which contribute to global warming. Markus Fischer, Divisional Board Member of DLR’s Aeronautics Department, highlighted that the results from ECLIF3 flight experiments demonstrate how this kind of fuel can significantly reduce the warming effect of contrails, in addition to lowering flight carbon footprints.
Scientific Advances and the Future of Sustainable Aviation
Mark Bentall, Airbus’s Head of Research and Technology Program, emphasized the importance of these findings, showing how SAF can reduce soot emissions and ice particle formation. Alexander Kueper, Vice President of Renewable Aviation Business at Neste, added that SAF is a crucial solution for mitigating aviation’s climate impact, both short and long term. The ECLIF3 study results provide additional scientific data supporting SAF use at concentrations higher than the currently approved 50%.
Commitment to Sustainability
Image: H2 Business News
Alan Newby, Rolls-Royce’s Director of Research and Technology, stated that using SAF in high blend ratios is essential for achieving net CO2 emissions targets in aviation. Tests demonstrated that the Trent XWB-84 engine can operate on 100% SAF, showing how additional SAF value can be unlocked by reducing non-CO2 climate effects.
The research team’s findings have been published in the Copernicus Atmospheric Chemistry & Physics (ACP) journal as part of a scientific process. This study provides the first in-situ evidence of climate impact mitigation potential by using pure 100% SAF on a commercial aircraft. The ECLIF3 program, which also involves researchers from the National Research Council of Canada and the University of Manchester, conducted flight and ground emission tests in 2021.
The use of 100% sustainable aviation fuel is a crucial breakthrough for achieving greener aviation and significantly reducing its climate impact. These results represent a significant step towards decarbonizing air transport, demonstrating SAF’s potential to transform the industry and protect our planet.
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