Our study conducts a comprehensive life cycle assessment (LCA) of fourteen aviation fuel pathways—including Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ), Sugar-to-Jet (STJ), HEFA from canola and corn oil, and hydrogen fuel cells—using the GREET model to evaluate environmental impacts across cradle-to-use boundaries.
Emissions were quantified for key life cycle metrics including Well-to-Pump (WTP), Pump-to-Wake (PTWa), Total CO₂, and Urban GHG emissions, across both Single Aisle (SA) and Large Quad (LQ) aircraft.
Results indicate that green hydrogen fuel cells deliver the lowest emissions across all stages and metrics, positioning them as the most promising zero-emission option.
Among SAFs, canola-based HEFA exhibits the lowest WTP emissions for SA aircraft, while corn oil-based HEFA performs best for LQ aircraft.
In contrast, conventional jet fuel shows the highest emissions across all categories, emphasizing the need for alternative fuel adoption. While trade-offs in energy and water use remain, this study provides actionable insights for policymakers, fuel producers, and aviation stakeholders aiming to implement scalable, low-carbon aviation fuel systems.