Assessment of biofuels in aviation industry for environmental sustainability

Abstract

The world has come to increasingly accept that conventional sources of fuel and energy are being depleted since the process of forming fossil fuels takes millions of years longer than the rate that it is rapidly consumed. Aircraft engines cause noise pollution and emit gases and particulates that reduce air quality and contribute to global warming and global dimming, where dust and ash from natural and industrial sources block the sun to create a cooling effect. This paper looks into the working of biofuel as to how it can be the solution towards solving fuel price and energy crisis in the aviation industry. It reviews the usage of biofuel in the aviation industry by airlines in the world focusing on strategies conducted by Virgin Atlantic Airways and some other selected airlines. The understanding of low carbon fuels has developed rapidly over the last decade and Virgin Atlantic are closer than ever before to bringing a sustainable product to the market for commercial use. The paper also considers the biofuel impact on sustainability of the environment and how such usage of biofuel can be adopted into Malaysian aviation industry using available biofuel resources in Malaysia. With many technologies designed for aviation industry, biofuel has come to be utilised in many countries, including the Malaysian Aviation industry. Biofuel ensures the lower emissions of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) as well as sustainability against depleting fossil fuels. It has been estimated that if greenhouse gas emissions continue at the present rate, Earth's surface temperature could exceed historical values as early as 2047, with potentially harmful effects on ecosystems, biodiversity and the livelihoods of people worldwide. Recent estimates suggest that on the current emissions trajectory the Earth could pass a threshold of 2 °C global warming, which the United Nations' IPCC designated as the upper limit for "dangerous" global warming, by 2036. By prioritising research and deployment of advanced technologies that can convert sustainable waste into biofuel, future aviation industry can witness new development.