A bibliometric analysis on sustainable aviation fuels: core technologies, challenges and trends

Abstract

International initiatives such as the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) have set goals for the complete de-carbonization of international aviation in this century. It motivated increasing numbers of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) research projects. The objective of this paper is to provide an overview on SAF research to point one to its foundations and recent advances. Data from the Web of Science database was collected and investigated. Important papers, cooperation networks, textual, productivity and trends analysis is provided. The most productive countries are in the global north, led by the United States and China. Big developing nations such as India and Brazil need to improve. The future of a sustainable aviation sector is heading in the direction of replacement of conventional jet fuel by synthetic hydrocarbon fuels by the end of the century. But there are still doubts about its viability both from the environmental and practical aspects, as there are concerns about feedstock availability and life cycle emissions. Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis, Alcohol-to-Jet and Hydroprocessing of Esters and Fatty Acids appear as the main SAF technologies for drop-in replacements. Longer term prospects are for the development of more efficient aircraft designed for renewables and non-hydrocarbon energy sources.