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Application of LCA to Aviation Fuels

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Life Cycle Assessment in Aviation

Part of the book series: Sustainable Aviation ((SA))

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Abstract

This comprehensive study examines the utilization of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in the context of aviation fuels, offering a critical evaluation of their influence on greenhouse gas (CHG) emissions. The research emphasizes the crucial significance of biofuels in effectively reducing CHG emissions across their entire lifecycle. This statement highlights the negative consequences of utilizing alternative fuels derived from fossil feedstocks on CHG emissions, even in cases where carbon capture and storage techniques are implemented. The aforementioned impacts are juxtaposed with conventional kerosene, thereby emphasizing the ecological ramifications associated with diverse fuel selections. The research identifies Biomass to Liquid (BTL) as the most favorable strategy in terms of mitigating CHG emissions, as it aligns with the Renewable Energy Directive’s mandate of achieving a 60% reduction in life cycle emissions. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that these technologies have already been widely adopted and implemented, enabling the diversification of fuel supply in response to the growing demand. The study additionally suggests that market dynamics, which can be influenced by escalating crude oil expenses or conditions of oil scarcity, may inherently drive the adoption of these fuels. This study not only offers substantial contributions to the ongoing discussion on the sustainability and environmental implications of aviation fuels but also establishes a foundation for further investigation in this crucial field of inquiry.

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Abbreviations

AAFEX:

Aircraft Alternative Fuel Emissions Experiment

APU:

Accelerated Processing Unit

ASTM:

American Society for Testing and Materials

BJ:

Business Jet

BTL:

Biomass to Liquid

CCS:

Carbon Capture and Storage

CH4:

Methane

CO:

Carbon Monoxide

CO2:

Carbon Dioxide

CTL :

Coal to Liquid

CTL:

Coal to Liquid

ETS:

Emission Trading Scheme

FAA :

U.S. Federal Aviation Administration

FAE :

Fatty Acid Ester

FAME :

Fatty Acid Methyl Ester

FT :

Fischer–Tropsch

GHG:

Green House Gas

GTL:

Gas to Liquid

HDCJ:

Pyrolysis-Derived Depolymerized Cellulosic Jet

HEFA:

Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids

HO:

Hydroprocessed Oil

HRJ:

Hydrogenated Renewable Jet

HRJ:

Hydroprocessed Renewable Jet

HVO:

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil

IATA:

International Air Transport Association

ICAO:

International Civil Aviation Organization

iLUC:

Indirect Land-Use Change

Jet A-1:

The Conventional Kerosene-Based Fuel Used For Aviation

JP-5:

Jet propulsion fuel type 5

JP-8:

Jet propulsion fuel type 8

LCA:

Life Cycle Analysis

LCV:

Lower Heating Value

LUC:

Land-Use Change

NOx:

Nitrogen Oxides

PM:

Particulate Matter

RED:

Renewable Energy Directive

RSB:

Round Table for Sustainable Biofuel

SKA:

Synthetic Kerosene Aromatic

SPK:

Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene

SPK:

Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene

USAF:

United States Air Force

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Astronautical Engineering, Konya, Turkey

    Enes Gunaltili

  2. Department of Aviation, Iğdır University, Iğdır, Turkey

    Selçuk Ekici

  3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gazi University Institute of Science and Technology, Ankara, Turkey

    Zeki Yilmazoglu

  4. Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Eskisehir Technical University, Eskisehir, Türkiye

    T. Hikmet Karakoc

  5. Information Technology Research and Application Centre, Istanbul Ticaret University, Istanbul, Türkiye

    T. Hikmet Karakoc

Authors
  1. Enes Gunaltili
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  2. Selçuk Ekici
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  3. Zeki Yilmazoglu
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  4. T. Hikmet Karakoc
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Eskisehir Technical University, Eskisehir, Türkiye

    T. Hikmet Karakoc

  2. Aviation Department, Igdir University, Igdir, Türkiye

    Selçuk Ekici

  3. School of Aviation, Süleyman Demirel University, Keciborlu, Isparta, Türkiye

    Alper Dalkiran

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Gunaltili, E., Ekici, S., Yilmazoglu, Z., Karakoc, T.H. (2024). Application of LCA to Aviation Fuels. In: Karakoc, T.H., Ekici, S., Dalkiran, A. (eds) Life Cycle Assessment in Aviation. Sustainable Aviation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52772-2_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-52772-2_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-52771-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-52772-2

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