Sustainable aviation fuel under microscope in new study

News

Several major aerospace players are coming together to study the in-flight emissions of sustainable aviation fuel, with a view to decarbonising long-haul air travel.

The ‘Emission and Climate Impact of Alternative Fuels’ project sees Airbus, Rolls-Royce, German research centre DLR and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) manufacturer Neste investigating the use of 100 per cent blends of the kerosene alternative. Both ground and air tests will be conducted using an Airbus A350-900 aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.

Green sky thinking: the rise of hydrogen flight

Supplied by Finnish oil-refining company Neste, the SAF being used is made from hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA). Last week saw fuel-clearance engine tests get underway, including a first flight from Airbus’s Toulouse facilities to check the fuel’s operational compatibility with the aircraft’s systems.

“SAF is an important part of Airbus' ambition to decarbonise the aviation industry, ensuring a sustainable future for air travel,” said Steven Le Moing, New Energy programme manager at Airbus. “It is a ready-to-use solution for current fleets and remains the most viable, long-term solution for long-haul flights where other technologies, such as hybrid-electric and hydrogen, are further from maturity.

Register now to continue reading

Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.  

Benefits of registering

  • In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends

  • Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year

  • Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox

Register
Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address