A new study conducted by the DLR—the German Aerospace Center—shows that the use of bio-based sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) reduces not only lifecycle carbon emissions but also ultrafine particle emissions that can lead to health problems.
In a recent month-long experiment, the researchers measured the emissions from SAS-operated A320Neos fueled on a blend of 34 percent SAF while they taxied from the runway to a gate at Copenhagen Airport. From a mobile laboratory set up at the gate, advanced sensing equipment was used to take measurements several times a day.
The findings showed an overall reduction in ultrafine particulate matter of approximately 30 percent, compared with operations with fossil-based fuel. According to the scientists, this study—the first to be conducted in an authentic airport environment—provides the most detailed picture to date of the effect that using SAF has on local air quality.
“It’s an important discovery that sustainable aviation fuel has an impact on air quality,” stated Christian Poulsen, Copenhagen Airport’s COO and acting CEO. “We already know that it helps reduce CO2 emissions, so this is another significant benefit of shifting aviation to sustainable fuels.”