Power-to-Liquids in aviation

The study “Power-to-Liquids – Potentials and Perspectives for the Future Supply of Renewable Aviation Fuel”, commissioned by the German Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and prepared by LBST and Bauhaus Luftfahrt, provides an introduction to the new concept of fuel production from renewable electricity, so-called Power-to-Liquid (PtL).

The Paris Agreement requires a massive reduction of greenhouse gases in all sectors by 2050. Renewable fuels are a crucial building block for achieving substantial emission reductions in aviation.

The PtL production pathways and the possibility of blending the produced fuel are described and the balance of the fuels is compared with regard to GHG emissions, energy efficiency, costs and water and land consumption.

The study was presented by the German delegation of the Ministry of Transport (BMVI) to the members of the Committee on the Environment (CAEP) of the UN aviation organisation ICAO in Washington D.C. in December 2016. If renewable electricity, CO2 and water are used, PtL shows an excellent environmental balance in terms of greenhouse gas reduction, water and land requirements.

Further information can be found here:

• Presentation by Patrick Schmidt on the topic: „Advances in power-to-liquids for aviation” 
• Information on PtL from dena and the Global Aviation Alliance
  Study by the Global Aviation Alliance
• Study by the Global Aviation Alliance: „Powerfuels in Aviation”