Opportunities on the Path to Climate-Compatible Aviation

The use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) is increasingly gaining attention as a promising means to make aviation climate-friendly. A recently published paper titled "Pathway to net zero: Reviewing sustainable aviation fuels, environmental impacts and pricing" delves deeper into the potentials of SAF. Authors Matthias Braun, Wolfgang Grimme, and Katrin Oesingmann from the Institute of Air Transport at the German Aerospace Center discuss the importance of SAF in reducing CO2 emissions in aviation. However, they also point out that despite growing interest, challenges remain in building the necessary infrastructures and supply chains. Currently, the share of sustainable alternatives in the fuel consumption of airlines in Europe is only about one percent. The paper examines various production pathways for SAF, their environmental benefits, and estimated fuel prices. It also considers the role of regulatory measures in different regional markets to promote the acceptance and adoption of SAF.

Hydrogen as a Long-Term Perspective

In the long term, hydrogen could play a crucial role in decarbonising aviation. Another paper titled "Hydrogen in aviation: A simulation of demand, price dynamics, and CO2 emission reduction potentials" offers new insights into the potential of hydrogen as an alternative fuel. Authors Katrin Oesingmann, Wolfgang Grimme, and Janina Scheelhaase from the Institute of Air Transport at the German Aerospace Center develop a model to forecast potential demand for liquid hydrogen in aviation by 2050.

The simulation suggests that global demand could reach up to 17 million tonnes, potentially leading to a significant 9% reduction in CO2 emissions*. However, the realisation of this potential depends on the competitiveness of hydrogen costs compared to other decarbonisation options. The study indicates that hydrogen costs must be competitive to meet the entire demand in aviation. This is likely to require a reduction in production costs so that a price of around 70 EUR/MWh can be achieved by 2050.

_{*According to assumptions regarding market readiness, replacement rates, and ranges, the DLR study "Market uptake and impact of key green aviation technologies" , published in 2023 in the context of the Clean Aviation Partnership’s Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), suggests potential savings of up to 23% in CO2 emissions. Preconditions would include earlier market entry (2035 instead of 2040) and accelerated retirement of conventional aircraft.}

Research Contributions for Climate-Compatible Aviation

Both papers originate from research projects that focus, among other topics, on the development and evaluation of technologies to improve the climate compatibility of air transport. The German Aerospace Center's (DLR) ÖKONVER-2 project focuses on the economic evaluation of innovative technologies and measures in the transportation sector, while the Vmo4Orte project develops solutions for climate-friendly and sustainable mobility. The insights from the papers also contribute to the DLR aviation project EXACT.