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Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Addressing Barriers to Global Adoption
by
Md. Nasir Uddin
Md. Nasir Uddin
Md. Nasir Uddin (M.N. Uddin) is currently undertaking his
PhD in chemistry and biotechnology in of [...]
Md. Nasir Uddin (M.N. Uddin) is currently undertaking his
PhD in chemistry and biotechnology in the Materials Engineering department at
the Swinburne University of Technology, Australia. He has completed an MSc in
engineering with Research in International Islamic University Malaysia. He is a
self-motivated academic researcher with a background in diverse aspects of
sustainable energy. Over a span of 6 years, he served as the assistant
professor at Northern University, and researcher in Paraguay, Canada, Czechia,
Malaysia, Thailand, and Bosnia, where he delivered lectures and research on
sustainable energy, fuels, power in engineering to a student body of over
10,000. As a researcher, he has actively participated in several
government and industry-funded initiatives. Additionally, he has had the
opportunity to conduct research and travel in 60 different countries and engage
with scholars from other disciplines abroad.
and
Feng Wang
Feng Wang
Feng Wang is Professor of Chemistry at Swinburne University of Technology (Australia). She received [...]
Feng Wang is Professor of Chemistry at Swinburne University of Technology (Australia). She received her PhD Degree from University of Newcastle (Australia). Feng has had academic appointments as an NESRC Canada International Postdoctoral Fellowship of University of Waterloo (Canada), The University of Melbourne (Australia) and Swinburne University of Technology. She serves as the Australian Research Council (ARC) as a College of Expert (CoE) and Chairs Scientific Adversary Committee (SAC) of National Computational Merit Allocation Scheme (NCMAS). Her recent research interest is robust computer materials design including H2 and CO2 storage materials, organic solar cells and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) using machine learning and intelligent computing, as well as techno-economic assessment (TEA) for energy materials.
1
School of Science, Computing and Emerging Technologies, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Melbourne, VIC 3122, Australia
2
Victorian Hydrogen Hub, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Melbourne, VIC 3122, Australia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(20), 10925; https://doi.org/10.3390/app152010925 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 9 September 2025
/
Revised: 5 October 2025
/
Accepted: 9 October 2025
/
Published: 11 October 2025
Abstract
The aviation industry is responsible for approximately 2–3% of worldwide CO2 emissions and is increasingly subjected to demands for the attainment of net-zero emissions targets by the year 2050. Traditional fossil jet fuels, which exhibit lifecycle emissions of approximately 89 kg CO2-eq/GJ, play a substantial role in exacerbating climate change, contributing to local air pollution, and fostering energy insecurity. In contrast, Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) derived from renewable feedstocks, including biomass, municipal solid waste, algae, or through CO2- and H2-based power-to-liquid (PtL) represent a pivotal solution for the immediate future. SAFs generally accomplish lifecycle greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions of 50–80% (≈20–30 kg CO2-eq/GJ), possess reduced sulfur and aromatic content, and markedly diminish particulate emissions, thus alleviating both climatic and health-related repercussions. In addition to their environmental advantages, SAFs promote energy diversification, lessen reliance on unstable fossil fuel markets, and invigorate regional economies, with projections indicating the creation of up to one million green jobs by 2030. This comprehensive review synthesizes current knowledge on SAF sustainability advantages compared to conventional aviation fuels, identifying critical barriers to large-scale deployment and proposing integrated solutions that combine technological innovation, supportive policy frameworks, and international collaboration to accelerate the aviation industry’s sustainable transformation.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Uddin, M.N.; Wang, F.
Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Addressing Barriers to Global Adoption. Appl. Sci. 2025, 15, 10925.
https://doi.org/10.3390/app152010925
AMA Style
Uddin MN, Wang F.
Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Addressing Barriers to Global Adoption. Applied Sciences. 2025; 15(20):10925.
https://doi.org/10.3390/app152010925
Chicago/Turabian Style
Uddin, Md. Nasir, and Feng Wang.
2025. "Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Addressing Barriers to Global Adoption" Applied Sciences 15, no. 20: 10925.
https://doi.org/10.3390/app152010925
APA Style
Uddin, M. N., & Wang, F.
(2025). Sustainable Aviation Fuels: Addressing Barriers to Global Adoption. Applied Sciences, 15(20), 10925.
https://doi.org/10.3390/app152010925
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