TY - JOUR

T1 - Sustainable Plant Oil Production for Aviation Fuels

T2 - Assessment Challenges and Consequences for New Feedstock Concepts

AU - Lüdeke-Freund, Florian

AU - Walmsley, David

AU - Plath, Mirco

AU - Wreesmann, Jan

AU - Klein, Alexandra-Maria

PY - 2012/11

Y1 - 2012/11

N2 - Purpose: This article seeks to address aviation as an emerging biofuel consumer and to discuss sustainability issues and consequences for feedstock production concepts. Biojet fuels have been identified as a promising, readily deployable alternative to fossil-based aviation fuels. At the same time they are highly criticised as their production may have negative social and environmental impacts. Therefore, the paper aims to identify major sustainability issues and assessment challenges and relate these to the production of biojet fuel feedstock. Design/methodology/approach: Two plant oil production concepts are presented that address the sustainability issues discussed. Both concepts are being investigated within the research project "Platform for Sustainable Aviation Fuels". A literature-based overview of sustainability issues and assessment challenges is provided. Additionally, conceptual insights into new plant oil production concepts are presented. Findings: The use of biojet fuels is often hailed as a strategy for the aviation industry to become more sustainable. However, biofuels are not necessarily sustainable and their potential to reduce GHG emissions is highly debated. Several unresolved sustainability issues are identified highlighting the need for improved assessment methods. Moreover, the two concepts presented have the potential to provide sustainably grown feedstock, but further empirical research is needed. Originality/value: This article addresses researchers and practitioners by providing an overview of sustainability issues and assessment challenges related to biojet fuels. Consequences are identified for two plant oil feedstock concepts: catch cropping in temperate regions and silvopastoral systems in tropical and subtropical regions.

AB - Purpose: This article seeks to address aviation as an emerging biofuel consumer and to discuss sustainability issues and consequences for feedstock production concepts. Biojet fuels have been identified as a promising, readily deployable alternative to fossil-based aviation fuels. At the same time they are highly criticised as their production may have negative social and environmental impacts. Therefore, the paper aims to identify major sustainability issues and assessment challenges and relate these to the production of biojet fuel feedstock. Design/methodology/approach: Two plant oil production concepts are presented that address the sustainability issues discussed. Both concepts are being investigated within the research project "Platform for Sustainable Aviation Fuels". A literature-based overview of sustainability issues and assessment challenges is provided. Additionally, conceptual insights into new plant oil production concepts are presented. Findings: The use of biojet fuels is often hailed as a strategy for the aviation industry to become more sustainable. However, biofuels are not necessarily sustainable and their potential to reduce GHG emissions is highly debated. Several unresolved sustainability issues are identified highlighting the need for improved assessment methods. Moreover, the two concepts presented have the potential to provide sustainably grown feedstock, but further empirical research is needed. Originality/value: This article addresses researchers and practitioners by providing an overview of sustainability issues and assessment challenges related to biojet fuels. Consequences are identified for two plant oil feedstock concepts: catch cropping in temperate regions and silvopastoral systems in tropical and subtropical regions.

KW - Sustainability sciences, Management & Economics

KW - Aviation

KW - biofuels

KW - Catch cropping

KW - climate change

KW - Conservation

KW - Silvopastoral system

KW - Sustainability Accounting

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84872667148&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1108/20408021211282313

DO - 10.1108/20408021211282313

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 3

SP - 186

EP - 217

JO - Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal

JF - Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal

SN - 2040-8021

IS - 2

ER -