Alternative jet fuel feasibility

Concerns regarding the environmental and economic sustainability of petroleum based transportation fuels, including jet fuel, are driving interest into alternative fuels. The development of viable alternatives could provide benefits in terms of energy diversity thus reducing dependence on any given nation for our energy needs. This manuscript examines the drivers for alternative fuels in the light of the needs of aviation and it provides criteria wherein potential alternative jet fuels can be compared. A wide range of transportation fuels was qualitatively examined using these criteria. Because of concerns regarding their safe use and the energy efficiency loss that would be inherent in their use, alcohols and biodiesel are better suited for ground transportation. Cryogenic fuels are not feasible in the near term because of the large existing aircraft and airport infrastructure that is incompatible with these fuels. Synthetic fuels offer aviation with a wide range of potential feedstocks that could augment or potentially replace petroleum, but concerns regarding the economic cost of production and the current lack of feedstock availability limits their near term availability to aviation.