THE GLOBAL aviation sector consumes over one billion litres of fuel a day, according to a 2021 research paper published in IOP Science. The sector was also directly responsible for 2 per cent of the global carbon emissions in 2021, as per the International Energy Agency (IEA). “If things continue as they are, emissions from the sector will not meet net-zero targets,” says Lynnette Dray, a senior research associate at University College London who specialises in aviation emissions and airline competition.
Little wonder, the sector is exploring a host of green technologies that include cleaner fuel sourced from biomass, hydrogen and e-aircraft. The technologies are in the early stages and success will depend on several factors.
SOURCING GREEN FUEL
This February, Indian Oil, the country’s largest aviation fuel provider, announced that at least 2 per cent of its aviation fuel by 2030 will be sourced from ethanol, a green fuel made from plant waste. The company has tied up with LanzaJet, a US-based fuel manufacturer that has a refinery in Panipat, to achieve the target.
Sustainable aviation fuels are hydrocarbon molecules sourced from plant or animal material and usually blended with conventional aviation fuel sourced from fossil fuels. The green hydrocarbon molecules are collected through a process called hydrodeoxygenation, in which oxygen and other impurities such as sulphur and nitrogen are chemically removed.
Esta historia es de la edición May 01, 2023 de Down To Earth.
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Esta historia es de la edición May 01, 2023 de Down To Earth.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
