Boeing has announced a commitment to make all new commercial aircraft deliveries “capable and certified to fly on 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuels by 2030”.

Current rules restrict aircraft to fly using a maximum of a 50/50 blend of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) and conventional jet fuel, and Boeing said that its “ambitious target” would “advance the long-term sustainability of commercial aviation”.

The manufacturer warned that for the aviation sector to reduce carbon emissions by 50 per cent from 2005 levels by 2050, aircraft would need to be capable of flying on 100 per cent SAFs well before that date.

Boeing has previously conducted test flights using SAFs, and said that its commitment would “determine what changes are required for its current and future commercial airplanes to fly on 100 per cent sustainable fuels, and to work with regulatory authorities and across the industry to raise the blending limit for expanded use”.

Boeing chief sustainability officer Chris Raymond said that SAFs were “proven, used every day, and have the most immediate and greatest potential to reduce carbon emissions in the near and long term when we work together as an industry”, while the Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Stan Deal commented:

“Our industry and customers are committed to addressing climate change, and sustainable aviation fuels are the safest and most measurable solution to reduce aviation carbon emissions in the coming decades.

“We’re committed to working with regulators, engine companies and other key stakeholders to ensure our airplanes and eventually our industry can fly entirely on sustainable jet fuels.”

In contrast Airbus is banking on hydrogen powered aircraft as a way of bringing about clean aviation fuel, having recently unveiled a new project codenamed ZEROe with which it hopes to bring zero-emission commercial aircraft into service by 2035.

Airbus unveils concepts for zero-emission commercial aircraft

Last year Boeing began working with Gulf carrier Etihad to test methods to reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions through its ecoDemonstrator programme.

More information on the manufacturer’s sustainability commitments can be seen at boeing.com/sustainability.