Spotlight on the ERC BIOSCOPE in the CNRS Engineering Newsletter No. 14
Without major technological advances, aviation—which currently accounts for about 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions—will see its emissions double by 2035. The fuel used by jet aircraft, jet fuel, comes from oil refining, a process that consumes large amounts of energy and generates CO₂.
While electrification appears to be a viable solution for ground transportation, it is unsuitable for long-haul flights due to jet fuel’s energy density: it contains nearly 50 times more energy per kilogram than a current battery, which would require batteries significantly heavier than the empty aircraft. The most immediate solution for reducing aviation’s carbon footprint lies in sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), produced from renewable resources and subject to strictly regulated sustainability criteria in Europe. With this in mind, the European Commission aims to increase the share of SAF to 70%, up from about 2% currently, in order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.