A Royal Society report has been looking at the alternatives to emissions producing aviation fuels, and finds that the options are limited.

It is well established that aviation is a major contributor to global warming, including through the emissions of carbon dioxide and the formation of contrails high up in the atmosphere, and is certain to increase in the next few years.

If low carbon emission jet fuels are to have a strong positive impact on the UK’s Road to Net zero, it is important that the alternative fuels adopted are truly beneficial to the fight against the climate crisis and do not cause unacceptable collateral ecological damage.

To assess the options, the Royal Society considered four alternative fuels: hydrogen, ammonia, synthetic fuels (efuels) and biofuels, finding that all alternative fuel options have advantages and challenges and there is no single simple answer to decarbonising aviation.

Main conclusions from the net-zero aviation report were that further research and development is required in a holistic manner – considering the entire cycle of fuels production and use, the non-CO2 climate impacts of all the alternative fuel options, and an approach with regards to fuel, engine and airframe development.

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