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Costs of mitigating CO2 emissions from passenger aircraft

Author

Listed:
  • Andreas W. Schäfer

    (UCL Energy Institute, University College London
    Precourt Energy Efficiency Center, Stanford University)

  • Antony D. Evans

    (University of California Santa Cruz)

  • Tom G. Reynolds

    (Lincoln Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Lynnette Dray

    (UCL Energy Institute, University College London)

Abstract

In response to strong growth in air transportation CO2 emissions, governments and industry began to explore and implement mitigation measures and targets in the early 2000s. However, in the absence of rigorous analyses assessing the costs for mitigating CO2 emissions, these policies could be economically wasteful. Here we identify the cost-effectiveness of CO2 emission reductions from narrow-body aircraft, the workhorse of passenger air transportation. We find that in the US, a combination of fuel burn reduction strategies could reduce the 2012 level of life cycle CO2 emissions per passenger kilometre by around 2% per year to mid-century. These intensity reductions would occur at zero marginal costs for oil prices between US$50–100 per barrel. Even larger reductions are possible, but could impose extra costs and require the adoption of biomass-based synthetic fuels. The extent to which these intensity reductions will translate into absolute emissions reductions will depend on fleet growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Andreas W. Schäfer & Antony D. Evans & Tom G. Reynolds & Lynnette Dray, 2016. "Costs of mitigating CO2 emissions from passenger aircraft," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 6(4), pages 412-417, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:6:y:2016:i:4:d:10.1038_nclimate2865
    DOI: 10.1038/nclimate2865
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Anton Fagerström & Omar Abdelaziz & Sofia Poulikidou & Adam Lewrén & Christian Hulteberg & Ola Wallberg & Tomas Rydberg, 2022. "Economic and Environmental Potential of Large-Scale Renewable Synthetic Jet Fuel Production through Integration into a Biomass CHP Plant in Sweden," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-17, February.
    2. Fangzi Liu & Zihong Li & Hua Xie & Lei Yang & Minghua Hu, 2021. "Predicting Fuel Consumption Reduction Potentials Based on 4D Trajectory Optimization with Heterogeneous Constraints," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-33, June.
    3. Masum, Farhad Hossain & Coppola, Ed & Field, John L. & Geller, Daniel & George, Sheeja & Miller, Jonathan L. & Mulvaney, Michael J. & Nana, Sanjay & Seepaul, Ramdeo & Small, Ian M. & Wright, David & D, 2023. "Supply chain optimization of sustainable aviation fuel from carinata in the Southeastern United States," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    4. Mengyuan Sun & Yong Tian & Yao Zhang & Muhammad Nadeem & Can Xu, 2021. "Environmental Impact and External Costs Associated with Hub-and-Spoke Network in Air Transport," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-21, January.
    5. Block Novelo, David Alejandro & Igie, Uyioghosa, 2018. "Aero engine compressor cooling by water injection - Part 2: Performance and emission reductions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 1236-1243.
    6. Kito, Minami, 2021. "Impact of aircraft lifetime change on lifecycle CO2 emissions and costs in Japan," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    7. Karsten Kieckhäfer & Gunnar Quante & Christoph Müller & Thomas Stefan Spengler & Matthias Lossau & Wolfgang Jonas, 2018. "Simulation-Based Analysis of the Potential of Alternative Fuels towards Reducing CO 2 Emissions from Aviation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-17, January.
    8. Alexander Barke & Walter Cistjakov & Dominik Steckermeier & Christian Thies & Jan‐Linus Popien & Peter Michalowski & Sofia Pinheiro Melo & Felipe Cerdas & Christoph Herrmann & Ulrike Krewer & Arno Kwa, 2023. "Green batteries for clean skies: Sustainability assessment of lithium‐sulfur all‐solid‐state batteries for electric aircraft," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 27(3), pages 795-810, June.
    9. Zia Wadud & Muhammad Adeel & Jillian Anable, 2024. "Understanding the large role of long-distance travel in carbon emissions from passenger travel," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 9(9), pages 1129-1138, September.
    10. Cui, Qiang, 2019. "Investigating the airlines emission reduction through carbon trading under CNG2020 strategy via a Network Weak Disposability DEA," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 763-771.
    11. Burak Yuksel & Huseyin Gunerhan & Arif Hepbasli, 2020. "Assessing Exergy-Based Economic and Sustainability Analyses of a Military Gas Turbine Engine Fueled with Various Fuels," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-28, July.
    12. Ekici, Selcuk & Ayar, Murat & Hikmet Karakoc, T., 2023. "Fuel-saving and emission accounting: An airliner case study for green engine selection," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    13. Adeline Montlaur & Luis Delgado & César Trapote-Barreira, 2021. "Analytical Models for CO 2 Emissions and Travel Time for Short-to-Medium-Haul Flights Considering Available Seats," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-23, September.
    14. Gray, Nathan & O'Shea, Richard & Smyth, Beatrice & Lens, Piet N.L. & Murphy, Jerry D., 2024. "The role of direct air carbon capture in decarbonising aviation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).

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