IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/arx/papers/2504.03880.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Opportunities, Alternatives and Challenges for Decarbonizing the Aviation Industry and Foster the Renewable Chemicals

Author

Listed:
  • Wesley Bonicontro Ambrosio
  • Bruna Ara'ujo de Sousa
  • Jo~ao Marcos Kanieski
  • Priscila Marchiorie
  • Gustavo Mockaitis

Abstract

Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) are pivotal in the global effort to decarbonize the aviation sector and meet greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets established by international frameworks such as CORSIA and Brazil ProBioQAV. This study evaluates SAF potential to reduce lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 80% while being compatible with existing aviation infrastructure. Through bibliometric analysis, scenario evaluation, legal and regulatory framework analysis and economic modeling, the research examines two key SAF production technologies: Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (HEFA-SPK) and Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) pathways in the Brazilian context. The findings reveal significant economic challenges, particularly high feedstock and production costs, which hinder SAF competitiveness with fossil fuels at recent and current market prices in Brazil, leading to the analysis of potential incentives and commercial conditions aiming to increase economic attractiveness of SAF production. Based on interviews with relevant stakeholders and decision makers in the industry, scenarios incorporating tax incentives, carbon credits, capital grants, and premium pricing for SAF and its biogenic by-products demonstrate that combined policy interventions and commercial arrangements, along with a regulated Carbon Market are essential for SAF economic viability. Future research is suggested to look at regional assessments of feedstock availability, supply chain logistics, and global market eligibility. This research provides insights for guiding public policy and private investment to support the transition to sustainable aviation in Brazil and beyond.

Suggested Citation

  • Wesley Bonicontro Ambrosio & Bruna Ara'ujo de Sousa & Jo~ao Marcos Kanieski & Priscila Marchiorie & Gustavo Mockaitis, 2025. "Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Opportunities, Alternatives and Challenges for Decarbonizing the Aviation Industry and Foster the Renewable Chemicals," Papers 2504.03880, arXiv.org.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2504.03880
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://arxiv.org/pdf/2504.03880
    File Function: Latest version
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paula Kurzawska & Remigiusz Jasiński, 2021. "Overview of Sustainable Aviation Fuels with Emission Characteristic and Particles Emission of the Turbine Engine Fueled ATJ Blends with Different Percentages of ATJ Fuel," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-18, March.
    2. Braun, Matthias & Grimme, Wolfgang & Oesingmann, Katrin, 2024. "Pathway to net zero: Reviewing sustainable aviation fuels, environmental impacts and pricing," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    3. Atsonios, Konstantinos & Kougioumtzis, Michael-Alexander & D. Panopoulos, Kyriakos & Kakaras, Emmanuel, 2015. "Alternative thermochemical routes for aviation biofuels via alcohols synthesis: Process modeling, techno-economic assessment and comparison," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 346-366.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chen, Ruotian & Yang, Hangjun & Wang, Kun & Jiang, Changmin, 2024. "Impacts of a sustainable aviation fuel mandate on airline competition — Full-service carrier vs. low-cost carrier," Transportation Research Part B: Methodological, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    2. Zhang, Chi & Hui, Xin & Lin, Yuzhen & Sung, Chih-Jen, 2016. "Recent development in studies of alternative jet fuel combustion: Progress, challenges, and opportunities," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 120-138.
    3. Nikolaos Detsios & Leda Maragoudaki & Stefano Rebecchi & Koen Quataert & Karel De Winter & Vassilis Stathopoulos & Nikolaos G. Orfanoudakis & Panagiotis Grammelis & Konstantinos Atsonios, 2024. "Techno-Economic Evaluation of Jet Fuel Production via an Alternative Gasification-Driven Biomass-to-Liquid Pathway and Benchmarking with the State-of-the-Art Fischer–Tropsch and Alcohol-to-Jet Concept," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-23, April.
    4. Neves, Renato Cruz & Klein, Bruno Colling & da Silva, Ricardo Justino & Rezende, Mylene Cristina Alves Ferreira & Funke, Axel & Olivarez-Gómez, Edgardo & Bonomi, Antonio & Maciel-Filho, Rubens, 2020. "A vision on biomass-to-liquids (BTL) thermochemical routes in integrated sugarcane biorefineries for biojet fuel production," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    5. Remigiusz Jasiński & Paula Kurzawska & Radosław Przysowa, 2021. "Characterization of Particle Emissions from a DGEN 380 Small Turbofan Fueled with ATJ Blends," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-12, June.
    6. Weiming Zhan & Kejiang Li & Rita Khanna & Yuri Konyukhov & Zeng Liang & Yushan Bu & Zhen Sun & Chunhe Jiang & Jianliang Zhang, 2024. "The Catalytic Effect of Pt on Lignin Pyrolysis: A Reactive Molecular Dynamics Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(8), pages 1-14, April.
    7. Kuo, Yen-Ting & Almansa, G. Aranda & Vreugdenhil, B.J., 2018. "Catalytic aromatization of ethylene in syngas from biomass to enhance economic sustainability of gas production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 21-30.
    8. Morenike Ajike Peters & Carine Tondo Alves & Jude Azubuike Onwudili, 2023. "A Review of Current and Emerging Production Technologies for Biomass-Derived Sustainable Aviation Fuels," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(16), pages 1-40, August.
    9. Rodrigues Dias, Veruska Mazza & Jugend, Daniel & de Camargo Fiorini, Paula & Razzino, Carlos do Amaral & Paula Pinheiro, Marco Antonio, 2022. "Possibilities for applying the circular economy in the aerospace industry: Practices, opportunities and challenges," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    10. Santos, Catarina I. & Silva, Constança C. & Mussatto, Solange I. & Osseweijer, Patricia & van der Wielen, Luuk A.M. & Posada, John A., 2018. "Integrated 1st and 2nd generation sugarcane bio-refinery for jet fuel production in Brazil: Techno-economic and greenhouse gas emissions assessment," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 129(PB), pages 733-747.
    11. Braun, Matthias & Grimme, Wolfgang & Oesingmann, Katrin, 2024. "Pathway to net zero: Reviewing sustainable aviation fuels, environmental impacts and pricing," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    12. Atsonios, Konstantinos & Li, Jun & Inglezakis, Vassilis J., 2023. "Process analysis and comparative assessment of advanced thermochemical pathways for e-kerosene production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(PA).
    13. Chiambaretto, Paul & Laurent, Sara & Schmalz, Ulrike & Fu, Mengying & Rouyre, Audrey & Bildstein, Camille & Fernandez, Anne-Sophie, 2024. "Are consumers willing to pay more for green innovations? Insights from the air transport industry," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    14. Wei, Juntao & Guo, Qinghua & Ding, Lu & Yoshikawa, Kunio & Yu, Guangsuo, 2017. "Synergy mechanism analysis of petroleum coke and municipal solid waste (MSW)-derived hydrochar co-gasification," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 1354-1363.
    15. Mohd Hasan Wong, Fadhli Wong & Al Kez, Dlzar & Del Rio, Dylan Furszyfer & Foley, Aoife & Rooney, David & Abai, Mahpuzah, 2024. "Decarbonizing and offsetting emissions in the airline industry: Current perspectives and strategies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 313(C).
    16. Douwe F. A. van der Kroft & Jeroen F. J. Pruyn, 2021. "A Study into the Availability, Costs and GHG Reduction in Drop-In Biofuels for Shipping under Different Regimes between 2020 and 2050," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-20, September.
    17. Klein, Bruno Colling & Chagas, Mateus Ferreira & Junqueira, Tassia Lopes & Rezende, Mylene Cristina Alves Ferreira & Cardoso, Terezinha de Fátima & Cavalett, Otavio & Bonomi, Antonio, 2018. "Techno-economic and environmental assessment of renewable jet fuel production in integrated Brazilian sugarcane biorefineries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C), pages 290-305.
    18. Wang, Wei-Cheng, 2019. "Techno-economic analysis for evaluating the potential feedstocks for producing hydro-processed renewable jet fuel in Taiwan," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 771-783.
    19. Chen, Jingwei & Wang, Chenxi & Shang, Wenxue & Bai, Yu & Wu, Xiaomin, 2023. "Study on the mechanisms of hydrogen production from alkali lignin gasification in supercritical water by ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(PA).
    20. Xu, Yuchao & Zhang, Yahua & Deng, Xin & Lee, Seung-Yong & Wang, Kun & Li, Linbo, 2025. "Bibliometric analysis and literature review on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF): Economic and management perspective," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 296-312.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2504.03880. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: arXiv administrators (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://arxiv.org/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.