In March 2022 , AFA received a Department of Commerce Innovation Cluster Accelerator Program grant to help lead the aviation industry ’ s global fight against climate change . The Sustainable Aviation Technologies and Energies ( SATE ) Cluster is a consortium of legacy industry , entrepreneur , research institutions , government , and venture capital partners working collaboratively to decarbonize the aviation industry .
The SATE Cluster recognizes the utilization of three tools — Sustainable Aviation Fuel ( SAF ), electrified , and hydrogen-powered aviation — as a holistic approach to decarbonization . Three focus areas guide the work of the SATE Cluster : increased project coordination , targeted advocacy , and workforce development .
As we look toward a net-zero future , today , only one tool is available to reduce carbon emissions by up to 80 percent . Sustainable Aviation Fuels ( SAFs ) are “ drop-in ” fuels compatible with existing aircraft and engines . The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge Roadmap calls for three billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel annually by 2030 and 35 billion gallons by 2050 to meet the carbon reduction goals . Current production in the United States is approximately five million gallons of SAF . Washington State University is a global leader in SAF research , along with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , as co-leaders of ASCENT , the Federal Aviation Administration ’ s sustainable aviation research organization .
In September 2022 , Eviation completed a test flight of Alice , the first all-electric passenger airplane . Alice took off from the Grant County International Airport in scenic Moses Lake , Washington , ascended to 3,500 feet , and flew for eight minutes . For electric aviation , the limiting factor for commercial deployment continues to be battery storage and energy density . Batteries do not have the same energy density as fossil fuels . For that reason , all-electric aircraft , like Alice , will primarily serve smaller regional markets .
While it once seemed like a far-off dream , hydrogen-powered aviation is quickly becoming a reality . According to the European Union ’ s 2022 hydrogen-powered aviation report , hydrogen could feasibly be used to power a commercial passenger aircraft on a flight of up to 3,000 kilometers ( 1864.1 miles ) by 2035 and medium-range flight of up to 7,000 kilometers by 2040 .
APRIL | MAY 2023 ISSUE NO . 32 49