SINGAPORE—With no viable alternative green energy currently available, governments should prioritize the aviation sector for the use of renewable fuels, the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) Director General Subhas Menon said.
Speaking at a media roundtable in Singapore, Menon said while battery-operated vehicles are now an accepted and viable alternative energy source, such technology is not possible in aviation, which will be limited to very short trips based on current technologies. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), he said, is by far the most significant and fastest way to reduce carbon emissions. He noted, too, that renewable diesel refineries often split production capacity for various fuel types.
Addressing accessibility to SAF at different airports, Menon said this can be solved with the book-and-claim system, but noted there has not been an industry accepted standard for this process, which should cover the end-to-end verification of certificates.
He hopes ICAO’s Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF) to be held in Dubai Nov. 20-24 can provide more clarity on this matter, adding that IATA has also advocated and submitted proposals to the international governing body.
Saying the industry cannot be “half sustainable,” Menon called for market leaders such as the U.S. and Europe Union to come together and develop solutions and policies that are applicable to other regions in a global manner.
Touching on climate change and Asia-Pacific’s recent spate of extreme weather, Menon believes the frequent occurrences provide a window of opportunity for governments to see the effects of climate change, giving agencies more impetus to invest in sustainable aviation.
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