In times of rising usage of fossil energies, the associated environmental problems also increase significantly. Biofuels can make an immediate contribution towards a solution but only if they are produced in a sustainable manner. The usage of biofuels in automobile traffic seems to be common and now the aviation sector also aims at finding solutions to reduce environmental pollution. Biokerosene, in particular, is among the most important feedstock for alternative aviation fuel production. But given the high demand for plant oils from biokerosene production, it is one of the biggest challenges to produce the amounts needed for aviation in a sustainable manner.The Platform for Sustainable Aviation Fuels is a practice-oriented competence tandem project that meets these challenges.

The Platform is an EU-funded project within the framework of the Innovation-Incubator of the Leuphana University of Lüneburg. In collaboration with partners from science and business, the interdisciplinary research team aims at developing and realizing sustainable value chains for biokerosene. The project is also explicitly focused on entrepreneurial implementation.The research team is headed by Prof. Dr. Stefan Schaltegger (Centre for Sustainability Management) and Prof. Dr. Alexandra-Maria Klein (Institute of Ecology) who are responsible for the scientific proceedings. The Platform is also operating in an international context. In terms of Social Sustainability and Sustainability Accounting, the team collaborates with Professor Robert Bailis (Yale University) and Professor Roger Burritt (University of South Australia). At the national level, the Platform aims to establish a network between researchers and practitioners. With the collaboration of further research facilities and companies of the aviation, transport and logistics industry Prof. Dr. Schaltegger - representing the Leuphana Universität Lüneburg – co-founded the "Aviation Initiative for Renewable Energy in Germany - aireg e.V." association. This initiative will bundle research activities focusing on biofuels for the aviation sector and promote the implementation of renewable sources of energy for the air traffic in Germany.

Within the framework of the Lüneburg Innovation Incubator, the Platform for Sustainable Aviation Fuels was granted on the 15th of September 2010 by the Structure Committee of the state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen). They recommended sponsoring the project proposed by Prof. Schaltegger and Prof. Klein with EU funds. The project was created with the help of expert practitioners. 2.7 million euros in funding will be available to support the research from 2011 until 2014.