How Is KR 1.6 Tracking?
Global aviation accounts for about one gigaton of annual carbon emissions. With the number of air passengers projected to more than triple by 2050, to 10 billion per year, it will be a formidable task to reach a net zero pathway. Nevertheless, we’re counting on incremental but steady progress to reach our target of 40 percent zero-emissions fuel by 2040.
Full decarbonization will require a range of innovative technologies. While batteries can power light aircraft for short trips, they may never be adequate for larger jets that fly the bulk of aviation miles. Hydrogen could be a clean option for some commercial flights, but it may be impractical for heavier planes and longer trips. The solution here has yet to germinate.
The immediate challenge is to deploy drop-in sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), lower-emissions stopgaps that can’t yet compete on price or abundance with traditional jet fuel. Moreover, today’s SAFs negate only half the emissions from their own combustion, though their potential could range up to 90 percent.
To achieve this KR, advances in fuel efficiency could play a big role. Newer, lighter, more aerodynamic planes use less fuel and reduce operating costs. The ultimate goal is to power all planes with fuels that are 100 percent emissions-free.
