Aviation
,
one of the most
polluting industries
,
extreme
efforts to
reduce environmental impact
.
It does so with
traffic
management
and more
sustainable
maneuvers
, but
its Achilles heel
is the fuel
.
Aircraft
use kerosene
and alternative
fuels
are not produced by
the time
in sufficient quantities
,
they are more expensive
and
therefore
are not accessible to
one of
the most polluting sectors
.
In
the climate summit
of nations
,
COP26
,
a British
airline has
introduced
a technology
that it says
could allow
flights
with
zero carbon emissions
Working with liquid
ammonia to
2030.
Its aim
is to build
reactors
that allow
existing
aircraft
I
modified
to store
liquid ammonia
obtained from
hydrogen instead of
kerosene
.
The aviation sector is responsible for 3% of CO2 emissions that are expelled in the atmosphere, as well as the maritime.
In spite of this, an airplane today consumes 80% less fuel than 80 years ago.
Neutral emissions at 2050 have been proposed as a target in 2050 and a roadmap that passes by finding an alternative propulsion to kerosene, such as electric aircraft or through hydrogen.
Airbus has a project to launch aircraft powered by hydrogen in 2035.
On the other hand
,
we want to encourage
biofuels
(
Saf
, its acronym
in English
)
, which would allow
a reduction
of up to 80
% of emissions
on a
path
airline.
This is one of
the main roads
.
“It is
a solution
that already exists
, so
the short term
is the way
that advances
in
the
decarbonization
of
the airline industry
,” explained from
ALA
, the Association
AIRLINE
, which represents
80
% of companies
operating in
Spain
.
Plus it
is
a solution
that already exists
, can
use
50%
of this fuel
along with conventional
, kerosene
.
The problem is that
there is little
production and
are up to three
times more expensive.
We should also
reduce the
gap
price
of these fuels
compared to
traditional
.
In
Spain
already
they are made
the first tests with
green fuels
in aviation.
Earlier this week
,
Iberia
has operated
the first flight
included a
fuel
comprised
2%
by
biojet
produced from
plant residues
.
The airline
is
well
ahead
three years after the
legislation requiring
the aim of
mixing
2%
in 2025
,
time after
which
progressively
increase
every five
years to
reach 63
%
by 2050
.
Repsol
has turned to
the production of these
new fuels
adapting
the capacity
of the five
refineries
operating in
Spain
and raising
additional
new production centers
in
Bilbao
and
Cartagena.
The aim of
the group is
positioning itself as
a leader in this
new green
race for the
dominion of the heavens
.
”
There are very few
plants producing
sustainable fuels
for
aviation
(
SAF
, its acronym
in English
)
worldwide
and today
the
little
installed capacity
is used to make
biofuels
for land
mobility.
In fact
, there are currently
very few companies
they have
announced
the production of
biojet
in Europe and
Repsol
can say that
we are among the
pioneers
, “says
Berta
Hair,
senior
manager
Transformation
Repsol
Refinery
.
The first of the lot manufactured by the company in the Petronor refinery consists of 5,300 tons of fuel and will avoid the emission of 300 tons of CO to the atmosphere, the equivalent of 40 Madrid-Bilbao flights.
It is just a beginning, since the energy company aspires to reach a production of two million tons of biofuels by 2030.
In the same vein
,
Spain
led
between 2012
and 2016
a European pilot
project to test
the use of
camelina
oil
as biofuel
,
but its limitations
reduced
production
contracts between producers
and European airlines
to 1,500
tons in
2017
.
Biojet
is
the
only
one in
the race for the
decarbonization
of heaven.
Ammonia
, green
hydrogen,
synthetic
fuels
…
all seek
their niche
taking advantage of the
difficulty of
the electrification of
the airline industry
.
“Aviation
requires a
multienergética
solution to meet
its energy demand
,
both on land and
in the
air where
electrification
presents difficulties
,” says
Cabello.
What will be the
big winner
?
“It’s
too early to
determine
,” says
Cabello.
