Researchers uncover promising breakthrough for future airlines and flights: ‘Major near-term step’
As the burgeoning airline industry looks for ways to reduce its impact on the planet, researchers have revealed that sustainable aviation fuel can be produced from municipal solid waste.
to workThe report, published in the journal Nature Sustainability, said such a program could meet 28 percent of global jet fuel demand and reduce air pollution by 16 percent. Space Daily reported.
Sustainable aviation fuel, which the outlet describes as “a low-carbon alternative made from raw materials like used cooking oil and crops,” isn’t the only way innovators are looking to replace environmentally costly flights. One group is turning back time with propeller design to reduce fuel consumption, while another is turning microalgae into biofuel.
Still less than 1% of global jet fuel use comes from sustainable fuels, Space Daily said, adding that aviation is responsible for 2.5% of pollution worldwide and air travel will double by 2040. (There are many other options.)
“Unlike road transportation, which is rapidly transitioning towards electrification, there is no magic solution to achieve carbon-neutral aviation,” said first author Jingran Zhang. in question. “Turning everyday trash into jet fuel could be an innovative but important near-term step towards cleaner aviation. By turning municipal waste into low-carbon jet fuel that already works in today’s engines, we can start reducing emissions immediately, without waiting for future technology.”
Converting garbage into fuel will have great benefits. First, it will reduce air pollution by 80-90% compared to traditional aviation fuel. It would also turn plastic, metal and other trash into a vital product, eliminating the need to store or incinerate these unwanted goods in landfills. It will produce clean energy, a harbinger of the future zero waste goalsReduce pollution and protect soil, according to Space Daily.
One problem with this idea is that only a third of the trash is converted into fuel due to “gas composition incompatibilities,” the website notes. Adding carbon dioxide or green hydrogen to the mix would boost the effort, the researchers said.
“Efficiency can be increased by capturing carbon dioxide during processing or by adding green hydrogen produced with renewable energy,” Space Daily reported.
Economic benefits will also include savings for airlines, which already benefit from government incentives and subsidies that encourage the use of more environmentally friendly fuels. The United States and Europe have said they will greatly reduce aviation pollution by using sustainable fuels, with the latter increasing its share from 2% this year to 70% by 2050.
“Broad collaboration between governments, fuel producers, airlines and aircraft manufacturers will be necessary to increase production, reduce costs and accelerate aviation’s path to net-zero emissions,” said lead author Michael B. McElroy. in question.
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