Boeing plans to have all its commercial airplanes flying on 100% biofuel by the end of the decade. To do so will require raising fuel-blending requirements, developing advances to the jet system, and getting safety certification by global regulators. Nevertheless, it’s committed to reducing the environmental damage caused by fossil fuels.
Boeing’s director of sustainability strategy, Sean Newsum, told Reuters:
It’s a tremendous challenge, it’s the challenge of our lifetime. Aviation is committed to doing its part to reduce its carbon footprint.
Boeing’s goal is part of a broader aviation industry target to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2050. Commercial flying account for about 12% of transport emissions and 2% of global carbon emissions.
Boeing supports customers in more than 150 countries, making it the world’s largest aerospace company for global service and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space, and security systems. As such, it holds a more considerable responsibility to invest in its people and future growth. That’s why the company continues to lead in innovation and technology.
The plane-maker has already conducted successful test flights with sustainable fuels and even staged the world’s first commercial flight using 100% biofuel on a FedEx Corp 777 freighter in 2018. It’s been adamant on addressing the urgent challenge of climate change, and biofuels are a reliable solution.
Chris Raymond, the company’s Chief Sustainability Officer, said:
With a long history of innovation in sustainable aviation fuels, certifying our family of airplanes to fly on 100% sustainable fuels significantly advances Boeing’s deep commitment to innovate and operate to make the world better. Sustainable aviation fuels are proven, used every day, and have the most immediate and greatest potential to reduce carbon emissions in the near and long term when we work together as an industry.
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) reduce carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 80% over the fuel’s life cycle and potentially 100% in the future, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, the Air Transport Action Group, and several scientific studies. However, SAF today is a maximum 50/50 blend (mixed with conventional jet fuel). That’s the maximum allowed under current fuel specifications. For the industry to reduce CO2 emissions by 50% (from 2005 levels) by 2050, airplanes will need to fly on 100% SAF well before mid-century.
As part of Boeing’s commitment, it will determine what needs to be done to enable safe flight on 100% SAF. It will work with groups that set fuel specifications (like ASTM International) to raise the blend limit. Then they’ll prove to the aviation regulator globally that it safe so the planes can be certified.
Stan Deal, the Boeing Commercial Airplanes President, and CEO said:
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. 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.
SAF can be made from various feedstocks, including agricultural and forestry waste, non-edible plants, vegetable oil, animal fats, sugar cane, industrial plant off-gassing, non-recyclable household waste, and other sources. A third-party organization such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials assures a fuel’s sustainability through a strict and credible certification process.
Many airports worldwide are beginning to supply SAFs – for example, San Francisco Airport uses renewable jet fuel made from used cooking oil and animal fats.
Meanwhile, Airbus is working on launching a hydrogen-powered airliner by the early 2030s.
