Lufthansa Cargo is the first airline to apply a surcharge on shippers to help cover the cost of blending expensive alternative fuel with fossil fuel-based jet fuel.
The White House recently publicized Flexport for facilitating purchases of sustainable aviation fuel because of the California connection to Asia-Pacific trade and sustainability, although the program isn’t particularly novel.
Airlines are pushing governments and energy producers for more sustainable fuels. And the cargo sector is helping create more market demand for them.
Boeing CEO David Calhoun is outspoken about how governments are making environmental and economic policy.
IATA says airlines can’t succeed on sustainable fuels, 5G interference and lithium battery safety without more government involvement.
Airbus is investing heavily in making planes that can fly entirely on sustainable aviation fuel as a bridge to hydrogen power.
“With every SAF deal, we are increasingly aware of the huge task that lies ahead in utilizing more sustainable solutions to help our customers,” said John Pearson, CEO of DHL Express.
“This deal is a great opportunity to accelerate our joint sustainability efforts. SAF has a lot of potential to reduce CO2 emissions,” said Adriaan den Heijer, executive vice president at AFKLM Cargo and managing director at Martinair.
United Airlines is getting lots of attention with bold statements that it hopes to fly hydrogen jets in seven years and supersonic jets by the end of the decade.
Social, financial and government pressure has airlines making a big push to decarbonize.
“Currently, sustainable aviation fuel accounts for less than 0.1% of the world’s use of aviation fuel. We want to help our customers use more SAF,” said Anna Mascolo, president of aviation at Shell.
The Biden administration set a target to produce 3 billion gallons of sustainable aviation fuel by 2030. Domestic production currently sits around 4.5 million gallons per year.
Sustainable fuels and technologies are up against decades of perfecting the efficiency and economies of scale of the fossil fuel industry.
Amazon accounts for its carbon intensity, emissions, renewable energy and decarbonization strategies and provides updates on The Climate Pledge in the 2020 sustainability report.
UPS announces emission-reduction strategies for facilities, small package operations and the global air fleet.
Lufthansa Cargo and DB Schenker are flying carbon-neutral weekly routes from Germany to China, using carbon offsets and sustainable aviation fuel.
DPDHL is making large commitments related to sustainable aviation, electric last-mile delivery vehicles and social impact projects in its recently released sustainability road map.
E-commerce and faster shipping times are in high demand. Air cargo results in carbon dioxide, sulfur and particulate matter emissions. Here are five ways aviation is expected to counteract the negative environmental impacts in 2021.
Amazon uses a lot of energy and emits a lot of pollution, but it is taking aggressive steps to be eco-friendly. Case in point: Amazon Air buying biofuel for its aircraft.
“Flight shaming” campaigns failed to recognize that airlines only account for 2 percent of global carbon emissions.
Since 2016, Air BP has been reducing carbon emissions through its BP Biojet.
“The Marines have embraced this because it saves lives and makes them the most lethal, most effective fighting force the world has ever known.”
