Cited by 228Advanced Aircraft Design and TechnologiesHeat transfer and supercritical fluidsAviation Industry Analysis and Trends

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 40 of the 41 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 120 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Use of sustainable fuels in aviation: a review

Open access
Cabrera, Eduardo, de Sousa, João M. Melo·2022·Energies

Abstract

As the push for carbon-neutral transport continues, the aviation sector is facing increasing pressure to reduce its carbon footprint. Furthermore, commercial air traffic is expected to resume the continuous growth experienced until the pandemic, highlighting the need for reduced emissions. The use of alternative fuels plays a key role in achieving future emission goals, while also lowering the dependency on fossil fuels. The so-called sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), which encompass bio and synthetic fuels, are currently the most viable option, but hydrogen is also being considered as a long-term solution. The present paper reviews the production methods, logistical and technological barriers, and potential for future mass implementation of these alternative fuels. In general, biofuels currently present higher technological readiness levels than other alternatives. Sustainable mass production faces critical feedstock-related challenges that synthetic fuels, together with other solutions, can overcome. All conventional fuel replacements, though with different scopes, will be important in meeting long-term goals. Government support will play an important role in accelerating and facilitating the transition towards sustainable aviation.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This review surveys sustainable aviation fuel pathways—bio-based drop-in SAF, synthetic power-to-liquid/e-fuels, hydrogen, and battery-electric propulsion—and assesses production, certification, barriers, and policy support. It concludes that drop-in SAFs are the most viable short- and medium-term option, with biofuels at higher readiness but feedstock-limited, while synthetic fuels and hydrogen/electric aircraft face cost or range barriers and are longer-term.

Key findings

  • Aviation accounted for around 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions and 3.5% of global warming including non-CO₂ contributions; 2019 jet kerosene combustion reached 1027 MtCO₂. SAF use remains less than 0.1% of jet kerosene consumption, though SAF can reduce life-cycle carbon emissions up to 80%.
  • ASTM has approved eight conversion pathways; certified blending ratios are 5–50% depending on the process, and D4054 certification takes 3–5 years and costs at least $5 million. HEFA-SPK has powered over 95% of all SAF flights to date.
  • Biofuels currently have higher technology readiness than other alternatives, but sustainable mass production faces feedstock constraints; synthetic PtL/e-fuels avoid biomass feedstock issues but are currently too expensive. Hydrogen and battery aircraft are long-term options with range limits: large battery-powered aircraft are not expected to cover more than about 500 km by 2050, and liquid hydrogen contains 2.5 times more energy per kilogram than kerosene.
  • Policy support is emphasized: ReFuelEU targets 2% SAF at EU airports in 2025 rising to 63% in 2050 for biofuels and 0.7% for e-fuels in 2030. Waste/residue lipids could account for at least 20 million tons of SAF and 20 million tons of renewable diesel, and 2030 global feedstock availability could provide around 135 million tons of SAF per year.

Methods

  • Narrative review of alternative aviation fuels, covering drop-in SAF (bio and synthetic), hydrogen, and battery-electric propulsion, including production methods, certification, logistical/technological barriers, and future implementation.
  • Draws on published literature, ASTM standards (D1655, D4054, D7566), ICAO/CORSIA, IATA, EU ReFuelEU, and third-party data/figures; no primary experimental data or systematic search protocol is reported.
  • Main analysis is a qualitative synthesis and comparison of pathways, feedstocks, blending limits, costs, and policy targets.

Limitations

  • The paper states that a complete, extensive description of possible biofuel feedstocks would fall outside its scope; it also notes that restrictions may apply to the availability of third-party data.
  • No formal limitations section is provided; as a narrative review, it lacks a systematic search/selection method and reports no primary data.
  • Evident from the text: cost, readiness, feedstock, and emissions figures rely on cited third-party sources and projections, which may change as technologies and policies evolve.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.3390/en15072440

Cites

40 of 40 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

93 Not checked yet · 25 Own interpretation · 5 No basis given · 1 Own result

Verify all 120 references — free account

Show all 48 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 57
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 33
76 of 76
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The need for sustainable aviation is undeniable.

    “The need for sustainable aviation is undeniable as it is expected that the sector will occupy an increasingly prominent position in global transportation.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Sustainable fuels will play an important role in the transition to carbon neutrality.

    “Sustainable fuels will play an important role in this transition.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Air travel faces different and more challenging operating conditions than other fuel uses.

    “Due to the different and more challenging operating conditions faced by air travel”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The particularities of air travel make the specification for approval and use of additives more complex.

    “due to the particularities of air travel, specification regarding approval and use of additives is more complex”
4 of 4

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Citations

Cites

Show all 41 references

Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. United Nations (December, January 30). Framework Convention on Climate Change. Adoption of the Paris Agreement. Proceedings of the 21st Conference of the Parties, Paris, France.
  2. United Nations (November, January 31). International Aviation Climate Ambition Coalition. Proceedings of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference, Glasgow, UK.
  3. Chevron (2007). Aviation Fuels: Technical Review, Chevron.
  4. Roberts, W.L. (2008, January 7). Bio jet fuels. Proceedings of the 5th International Biofuels Conference, New Delhi, India.

Cited by

Sorted by citations

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Metadata

Authors
Cabrera, E., & de Sousa, J. M. M.
Affiliations
  • Instituto Superior Técnico (PT)
  • IDMEC, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
Venue
Energies
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2022-03-26
Volume
15
Issue
7
Pages
2440
ISSN
1996-1073 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4221122404
Cited by
217
References
41
Citations by year
2026: 51 · 2025: 67 · 2024: 54 · 2023: 36 · 2022: 8
FWCI
16.44
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Energies (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (UIDB/50022/2020)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Aerospace Engineering › Advanced Aircraft Design and Technologies
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Computational Mechanics › Heat transfer and supercritical fluids
  • Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › General Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Aviation Industry Analysis and Trends
Keywords
sustainable aviation fuel, biofuels, synthetic fuels, hydrogen aviation, aircraft emissions reduction, technology readiness, fossil fuel dependence

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