As global air traffic rebounds to pre-pandemic levels—projected at 4.7 billion passengers in 2024—the aviation industry faces a existential dilemma. Despite improved fuel efficiency, commercial flights still account for 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions, a figure set to triple by 2050 under business-as-usual scenarios. Enter Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), the sector’s great decarbonization hope. Ranging from recycled cooking oil to hydrogen-based e-fuels, SAF could reduce lifecycle emissions by 80%. But with current production meeting just 0.1% of demand, can this nascent industry scale sustainably? This investigation uncovers the scientific breakthroughs, corporate power plays, and geopolitical tensions shaping aviation’s clean energy transition.
