A recent report from the Institute for Policy Studies raises doubts about the feasibility and effectiveness of sustainable aviation fuels as a substitute for traditional jet fuels, citing scalability challenges and environmental trade-offs.
A report from the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) has expressed skepticism about the effectiveness and feasibility of sustainable aviation fuels as a viable replacement for kerosene-based jet fuels in the foreseeable future. The report, released on May 14, 2024, highlights that despite public subsidies and governmental support, including the Biden administration’s goal to produce 3 billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel by 2030, these alternatives are significantly lagging in scalability and may not meet the required timelines to substantially mitigate climate change impacts.
The analysis by IPS, a progressive think tank, emphasizes that the current production of sustainable aviation fuels would need to increase by an enormous 18,887% this decade to meet U.S. targets. It also points out that even if production could meet these ambitious goals, the switch would still entail significant environmental trade-offs. For instance, meeting the required fuel production might necessitate extensive use of agricultural land, potentially threatening global food security and contradicting environmental preservation efforts.
The report further criticizes the aviation industry’s reliance on these fuels as overly optimistic and labels it a “greenwashing exercise,” warning that it could detract from more critical decarbonization priorities. Various airlines have proposed goals to incorporate sustainable aviation fuels, but the IPS report casts doubt on the industry’s capacity to achieve these objectives without exacerbating environmental and climate challenges.
