On 22 January Boeing announced that all its commercial aircraft will be able to fly on and gain certification to use 100% sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) by 2030. This establishes a benchmark for its own environmental pledge following that issued by Airbus to develop a hydrogen-powered narrowbody type by 2035. The US aircraft manufacturer has already conducted flight tests replacing jet fuel with 100% SAF and has committed to working with regulators to raise the blended limit for expanded use.
According to the Air Transport Action Group, the US DoE, and several other scientific studies, sustainable aviation fuels reduce CO2 emissions by up to 80% over the fuel’s life cycle and carry the potential to reach 100% in the future. Today’s standard allows for no more than a 50-50 blend of conventional jet fuel and SAF. Boeing said aviation’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions by 50% from 2005 levels by 2050 will require that airplanes fly on 100% SAF “well before” then.
“Our industry and customers are committed to addressing climate change, and sustainable aviation fuels are the safest and most measurable solution to reduce aviation carbon emissions in the coming decades,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Stan Deal. “We’re committed to working with regulators, engine companies, and other key stakeholders to ensure our airplanes and eventually our industry can fly entirely on sustainable jet fuels.”
