Operation Green Skies

Presenter Information

David MehlFollow

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Campus

Daytona Beach

Status

Student

Student Year and Major

Junior, Meteorology

Presentation Description/Abstract

Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases have been causing global temperature rising and climate change. According to the National Geographic Society, the average global temperature is predicted to increase by 0.36 degrees Fahrenheit per decade strictly due to greenhouse gas emissions. A large amount of these gases are released into the atmosphere by aviation aircraft. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional aviation fuels, which significantly reduces carbon emissions. SAF is compatible with existing aircraft and infrastructure, offering us a path in the aviation industry to combat climate change. Studies have shown that blending SAF at a mere 1% ratio and uniformly distributing it to all transatlantic flights would reduce both the annual contrail energy and the total energy forcing by ~0.6%. Dating back to as early as 2016, airports such as the Trudeau International Airport in Montreal have been utilizing SAF. Now, airlines such as Alaska and United Airlines have flights with 100% sustainable aviation fuel usage. The U.S. Department of Energy, Transportation, Agriculture, and the Environmental Protection Agency have come together to make the SAF Grand Challenge Roadmap. In their guideline, they state that they are working towards expanding production to achieve 3 billion gallons per year of domestic SAF and achieve a minimum of a 50% reduction in life cycle greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 100% by 2050. The future looks bright with SAF, we are on the brink of a new age.

Keywords

Emissions, aircraft, climate change, atmosphere, alternatives, aviation industry, greenhouse gases

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Operation Green Skies

Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases have been causing global temperature rising and climate change. According to the National Geographic Society, the average global temperature is predicted to increase by 0.36 degrees Fahrenheit per decade strictly due to greenhouse gas emissions. A large amount of these gases are released into the atmosphere by aviation aircraft. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional aviation fuels, which significantly reduces carbon emissions. SAF is compatible with existing aircraft and infrastructure, offering us a path in the aviation industry to combat climate change. Studies have shown that blending SAF at a mere 1% ratio and uniformly distributing it to all transatlantic flights would reduce both the annual contrail energy and the total energy forcing by ~0.6%. Dating back to as early as 2016, airports such as the Trudeau International Airport in Montreal have been utilizing SAF. Now, airlines such as Alaska and United Airlines have flights with 100% sustainable aviation fuel usage. The U.S. Department of Energy, Transportation, Agriculture, and the Environmental Protection Agency have come together to make the SAF Grand Challenge Roadmap. In their guideline, they state that they are working towards expanding production to achieve 3 billion gallons per year of domestic SAF and achieve a minimum of a 50% reduction in life cycle greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 100% by 2050. The future looks bright with SAF, we are on the brink of a new age.