Chris - Notwithstanding the title of your newsletter, would it be possible to add a rider that there is a (big) difference between Sustainable Aviation Fuel and sustainable aviation whenever talking about SAF? The aviation sector makes great play about the prospects for SAF but SAF only addresses the carbon emissions not the other forcing factor impacts such as contrails and NOx each of which could be of similar warming impact. The sector has little ability to abate these which is why it prefers to keep the focus on carbon. This gives the misleading impression that if the sector moves to SAF, aviation is benign (in respect of climate change).
Yes, I should always qualify any mention of eSAF with a statement that NOx emissions are likely to be very similar to those from fossil aviation fuel. I think that contrail impact is probably a little lower because of fewer soot particles, but you are right that eSAF helps but certainly does not solve the problems caused by aviation.
Very good point. I'll try to find a business that is either going ahead, or not, because of certainty or otherwise about the future of carbon taxation around the world.
Chris - Notwithstanding the title of your newsletter, would it be possible to add a rider that there is a (big) difference between Sustainable Aviation Fuel and sustainable aviation whenever talking about SAF? The aviation sector makes great play about the prospects for SAF but SAF only addresses the carbon emissions not the other forcing factor impacts such as contrails and NOx each of which could be of similar warming impact. The sector has little ability to abate these which is why it prefers to keep the focus on carbon. This gives the misleading impression that if the sector moves to SAF, aviation is benign (in respect of climate change).
Hello Ian,
Yes, I should always qualify any mention of eSAF with a statement that NOx emissions are likely to be very similar to those from fossil aviation fuel. I think that contrail impact is probably a little lower because of fewer soot particles, but you are right that eSAF helps but certainly does not solve the problems caused by aviation.
I’d love to get your take on anything ETS/CBAM related. With the ultimate question of will a global carbon price materialise from these policies?
Hello Nick,
Very good point. I'll try to find a business that is either going ahead, or not, because of certainty or otherwise about the future of carbon taxation around the world.