Issue:
Commercial aviation devours good amounts of non-renewable fuels which lead to their exhaustion. The increasing demand for air services in India is the reason for the deregulation of the airline industry, according to a report, by 2017 the growth in India’s air traffic was expected to increase in around 52.31 million domestic passengers and by 32.98 million in international passengers and by 2020 it was expected by The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation that the Indian commercial fleet will grow by 1000 aircraft from 380 aircraft and which will lead to automatically growth of fuel consumption to 3-3.5% and somehow will reach between 461 Mt. by 2036. According to a report by ICAO 2010, Environment Report 2010, Domestic and International operations will account for 38% and 62% of global fuel consumption respectively.
The environmental issues of the aviation industry can be classified as airlines environmental issues and environmental pollutions health hazards-
Many aircraft generally travel at the height of 35000 feet and their engines emit exhaust which contains CO2 which is usually heavier than the air. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate, Change CO2 is the most important gas which emits from the aircraft due to the combustion of fossil fuel which largely contributes to more greenhouse effect and climatic change. Airports have also been accused of degrading the environment because of various factors. A serious role for pollution caused at airports is by ground access vehicles (GAV) and ground support equipment (GSE) which contributes to the pollution crisis. The pertinent emissions attributed to aircraft operations at airports are Nitrogen oxides, water vapor, Sulphur Dioxide, Carbon dioxide, Carbon monoxide, etc.
The development of the airport involves clearing of planted lands that usually are vast areas and hectares of fields of plantations. This results in an enormous imbalance within the ecosystem and should cause disturbances within the ecological good chain. But even after the completion of the airport project, they still pose threat to bio diversities like bird strikes or bird hits and safely recycle techniques of airport waste and water. Airport waste is sometimes disposed in water causing water pollution. Noise due to overflying at low heights had led some local people to even protest leading to night curfews in some developing countries.
Sustainable Aviation Fuel:
Keeping in mind Mahatma Gandhi’s “Earth provides enough to satisfy our needs but not to satisfy our greed.”
Given the expected growth in domestic travel, decarbonizing the aviation sector is essential for India to remain committed to its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC). Sustainability improves the quality of our lives, protects our ecosystem and preserves natural resources for future generations. Sustainable aviation fuels have great potential for securing the sustainable growth of air travel as they could reduce CO2 emissions by around 80% compared with fossil fuels, without the need to radically change the fuel supply systems or engines of aircraft. Sustainable Aviation Fuel, or SAF, made from waste and agricultural by-products or power-to-liquid based on hydrogen technology can be 100% less carbon-intensive than traditional jet fuel over its lifecycle. Early adoption of SAF can provide environmental and economic benefits at 10 times higher than initial costs as India’s aviation sector grows, while progressing on global climate goals.
SAF is for now two to five times more expensive than fossil fuel, but costs will come down with volume, and the transition to cleaner fuels would contribute substantially to solving climate change. SAF can be 100% less carbon-intensive over its life cycle compared to conventional fuels. Thus, SAF acts as a ray of light in this greyish world and India can improve to a huge extent implementing it.
Poosa Ramesh