Recently, Clean Planet Technologies comercial lead, Dr. Katerina Garyfalou, had the privilege of attending a roundtable discussion on the sustainability of the aviation sector hosted at the House of Lords by Access for Women in Energy, an organisation led by the inspiring Dr Carole Nakhle. The event brought together industry leaders with diverse perspectives on the pressing challenges and potential solutions to decarbonising aviation... here's Katerina's report:
Key Personal Takeaways:
A Globalized Industry Needs Globalised Solutions: The aviation industry’s undoubtedly international nature requires a cohesive global framework to drive real progress.
Scalability and Affordability Challenges: Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) face significant cost and production hurdles, making their widespread adoption difficult.
Policy Gaps between Regions: Diverging policy approaches between regions such as the EU and USA create inefficiencies, with a lack of unified global mandates further slowing progress.
Broadening the Definition of Sustainable Aviation: It’s crucial to expand our understanding of aviation sustainability beyond just in-flight emissions, including ground operations and idling emissions.
Equitable Financing of Aviation's Transition: The question remains—who will bear the financial burden of aviation’s sustainability? Will it be the everyday traveller? What about those using private jets for pleasure/work?
Let's start with some data about the scale of the challenge.
The aviation sector is responsible for approximately 2.5% of global CO2 emissions, with the UK attributing around 7% of its transport-related emissions to aviation. This industry, more than any other, faces unique operational and economic challenges that prevent the decoupling of growth from emissions. The lack of alternative transport methods for international travel further exacerbates the issue, underscoring the need for coordinated global efforts.
Aviation emissions and policy mandates: A Global Snapshot
While the aviation sector’s decarbonisation will require a multifaceted approach, the policy landscape remains uneven across regions:
EU: The European Union’s net-zero aviation goal includes a target of 63% SAF use by 2050, with incremental mandates of 2% by 2025 and 5% by 2030.
USA: The U.S. government aims to produce 3 billion gallons of SAF by 2030 as part of its broader Net-Zero Emissions by 2050 strategy.
China: Although China has committed to reaching carbon neutrality by 2060, it currently lacks specific SAF targets or net-zero aviation goals.
Russia: Russia has no formal SAF mandates or net-zero aviation goals, reflecting its reliance on conventional fuels.
Other Countries: Japan has set a target of 10% SAF use by 2030, while Norway has already implemented a 0.5% SAF blending mandate, with plans to increase this percentage in the future.
These statistics illustrate the global asymmetry in SAF adoption and emissions regulations, showing the urgent need for consistent policies to drive meaningful progress.
The need for multiple solutions
It became clear during the discussion that no single solution will be enough to decarbonize aviation. While SAF is a key part of the answer, it faces significant scalability and affordability challenges as all other proposed solutions. SAF costs are currently 3-4 times higher than conventional jet fuel, and even optimistic production projections suggest SAF will meet only 0.1-0.15% of global aviation fuel demand by 2030. These hurdles mean we must explore and embrace a range of solutions.
Redefining aviation sustainability
Sustainable aviation cannot be narrowly defined as reducing emissions from planes in flight. We must also account for emissions during idling, take-off, taxiing, and other ground operations, which can represent up to 6-10% of total CO2 emissions at some airports. This broader definition helps us see the full spectrum of challenges and opportunities in the sector. For example, are current aircraft even capable of utilizing new fuels like SAF or Clean Planet Technologies’s waste-derived jet fuel? Or will we need new aircraft designs to fully capitalise on these innovations?
Embracing innovation despite risk
A key theme throughout the discussion was the industry’s hesitation to embrace innovation due to perceived risks. Financial institutions remain hesitant to invest in technologies they view as high-risk, and the aviation sector, by nature, operates under strict safety and regulatory frameworks that can sometimes stifle innovation. However, given the size and urgency of the problem, we cannot afford to be selective or overly cautious when evaluating new technologies.
At Clean Planet Technologies, we recognise that breaking boundaries in innovation requires a careful balance between safety and forward-thinking action. I would never get on plane knowing that its fuel has not been properly tasted and is safe!!
This is where Clean Planet Technologies steps in. We are developing a waste-to-jet fuel process, converting non-recyclable plastics and waste materials into high-quality jet fuel. Despite initial scepticism from some industry stakeholders, we have achieved remarkable results in product quality so far. Our efforts now are focusing on significantly improving yields, making it a more scalable solution that addresses both the supply chain and emissions challenges.
By turning waste that would otherwise end up in landfills—or worse, in our environment—into usable fuel, we are contributing to a more circular economy while providing the aviation sector with a much-needed immediate solution. This approach not only reduces waste but also leverages an abundant and often underutilised resource. We are looking forward to actively participating in providing solutions to an industry in urgent need of innovation.
We are committed to pushing the boundaries with our waste-to-jet fuel solution, which aligns with the urgent need for more supply-driven policies rather than only focusing on demand-side incentives.
But who will pay for aviation’s sustainability?
One of the most pressing questions remains: who will bear the cost of aviation's transition to sustainability? The high costs of SAF and other sustainable solutions suggest that these expenses will ultimately be passed on to passengers—the everyday family trying to afford a holiday?! Meanwhile, frequent private jet users, who disproportionately contribute to emissions, could continue benefiting from the current system. This imbalance must be addressed if we are to create an equitable and sustainable future for the aviation sector embraced by everyone.
We need a diverse set of solutions for a complex problem
Decarbonising aviation requires a diverse portfolio of solutions, from SAF and waste-to-jet fuel processes to new aircraft designs and operational efficiency improvements. Clean Planet Technologies is proud to be part of this effort, contributing our innovative waste-to-jet fuel process to an industry that is in urgent need of sustainable, scalable solutions.
As we look toward the future, it’s clear that collaboration across the supply chain, innovative technologies, and unified global policies are key to ensuring that the aviation sector can achieve its sustainability goals. We are excited to continue contributing to this important work and leading the way in providing immediate, impactful solutions.
