Watch: Powering sustainable flight for the next generation
There is no singular answer to reduce aviation emissions— the key lies in several methods being implemented at scale by multiple stakeholders, simultaneously.
As the aviation industry focuses on recovery from the effects of COVID-19, it must continue its efforts to deliver a sustainable future for the industry.
There is no singular answer to reducing aviation emissions. Instead, the key lies in several methods being implemented at scale by multiple stakeholders simultaneously, according to the former President of Shell Aviation, Anna Mascolo.
“Today, our priority remains to work with our customers on the recovery from COVID-19,” Mascolo said. “It is very clear is that society, individuals, and companies also feel an obligation to make sure that we look at long-term targets and ambitions like sustainability.”
“Funnily enough, even for a sector so significantly taken back by this crisis, it feels that we are ready to accelerate the sustainability transition,” Mascolo said in a recent interview to discuss critical issues facing the industry with Joel Makower, Executive Editor of GreenBiz.com.
Watch: Powering sustainable flight for the next generation
Key takeaways
The aviation industry remains committed to halving CO2 emissions by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is a reality today but needs more support from customers, investors, and policymakers to scale more rapidly.
After the pandemic grounded most of the world’s passenger aircraft, the aviation industry has focused on returning to the skies safely and efficiently. Nonetheless, airlines face mounting pressure from corporate customers, governments, and the public to address their carbon footprint.
The aviation industry remains committed to halving CO2 emissions from international flights by 2050 relative to 2005 levels. But that remains a daunting target.
All parties, all measures
There is no simple solution to this challenge. Much as international agencies, local governments, and businesses teamed up to fight the pandemic, the transition to sustainable aviation requires multiple parties to work together to adopt a wide variety of measures. Those include scaling up production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), boosting operational efficiencies, adopting nature-based carbon offsets, and investing in entirely new technologies, Mascolo said.
“We need to look at the whole ecosystem; airlines, producers, logistics providers, manufacturers, airports, government, regulators. Everybody needs to play a role, because the challenge is too big to be tackled by one single company on its own,” Mascolo said.
SAF: A safe bet for sustainability today
Ultimately, the industry needs to move to sustainable fuels and, eventually, carbon-free ones such as hydrogen, Mascolo said. Using SAF at scale means overcoming a range of challenges, like ensuring that feedstock crops for SAF are themselves sustainable and building out infrastructure to produce and deliver SAF to customers.
Mascolo pointed to Shell’s recent deal with Amazon Inc. to supply the online retail giant’s cargo aviation operations with up to six million gallons of SAF as an example of the kind of high-profile commitment needed to build confidence and momentum in sustainable fuels. Yet such deals are just the start and hurdles must be addressed.
While SAF is considered a “drop in” fuel, Mascolo added that “the reality is that, given where production sits and where the airports are, there is a logistical piece that still needs to happen. You need pipelines that can transport SAF, blending facilities, and quality assurance, and that is a different set up from traditional jet fuels.”
Anna Mascolo, Former President of Shell AviationWe need to look at the whole ecosystem; airlines, producers, logistics providers, manufacturers, airports, government, regulators. Everybody needs to play a role, because the challenge is too big to be tackled by one single company on its own.
Fueling the next century of flight
For over 100 years, Shell has collaborated with aviators and visionaries to overcome challenges and enable progress. This spirit of collaboration and problem solving will be crucial to securing the benefit of flight for the next century.
“In the short term, we will keep on working with our customers on the recovery from COVID and doing so safely,” Mascolo said. “Where we want to go one step further, however, is to be the catalyst for change in the next generation, where the industry moves together to tackle sustainability. ”We want to see investment in existing solutions like reforestation projects and future technologies like hydrogen-powered flight, all while driving collaboration throughout the industry, Mascolo said.
“This is a global challenge that needs everybody to move at the same time,” Mascolo said. “That's where I compare it to the pandemic response, where everybody had to move and is moving in the same direction, with some actionable insights and ideas to move forward.”
Anna Mascolo, Shell Aviation
Anna serves as Executive Vice President of Emerging Energy Solutions at Shell, focusing on the actions required to build Hydrogen, Carbon Capture & Storage, Nature-Based Solutions and Shell Ventures businesses at scale in the coming decade. Anna is based in London with her husband and their two children.
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