✈️ The Compost: Cracking the code on greener flights, by the numbers
Welcome to The Compost, a weekly newsletter on key environmental news impacting Southern California. Subscribe now to get it in your inbox! In today’s edition…
Major airlines and plucky startups all are racing to crack the code on climate friendly flights. And some of the most promising potential solutions are taking off right here in Southern California.
Last week, I spent time in the three hangars at Hawthorne Municipal Airport that make up headquarters for Universal Hydrogen. The three-year-old company recently made history when its hydrogen-powered fuel cells helped the largest jet to date take flight and cruise around a rural airport in Washington.
Earlier this year, I was 12 miles east, touring a former 65-acre oil refinery that’s being transformed into one of the only places in the world currently making sustainable aviation fuel. Some of that fuel, derived from beef tallow, is already in use by jets taking off from airports throughout Southern California.
So what’s the bigger picture here? Let’s let the numbers do the talking.
Why the scramble?
- 2%: Share of global carbon emissions that come from aviation
- 6: If aviation were a country, its ranking for emissions, just behind Japan
- 1-3 tons: One passenger’s share of atmosphere-warming carbon emissions created by a roundtrip flight from Los Angeles to Paris
- 25%: Share of polluting flights that originate from the United States
- 4%: Projected annual growth in aviation
- 41%: Reduction in emissions from each plane from 1970 to 2019 through redesigned planes and more fuel-efficient operations
- 30: Average years of service for commercial jets
- 2050: Year aviation sector aims to hit carbon neutrality
How does sustainable aviation fuel fit into the picture?
- 85%: Reduction in fossil fuel emissions for jets using sustainable aviation fuel or SAF in place of traditional jet fuel
- 2008: First SAF test flights took place
- 50%: Maximum amount of SAF now approved to be blended in with traditional jet fuel
- 0.03%: Share of the 106-billion-gallon-a-year global market covered by SAF
- 4: Times more expensive SAF is than traditional jet fuel
- 6 million: Gallons of SAF World Energy is producing in Paramount today, with a goal to reach 250 million gallons when its $2.5 billion plant conversion is complete in 2025
- 500 million: End-of-year target for SAF production by Finland-based producer Neste
- 3 billion: Targeted annual production of SAF through the Biden Administration’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge
- 7.2 million: Gallons of SAF delivered to LAX in 2022, making up 0.6% of total fuel supplies
- 20%: Maximum amount of current jet fuel demand that could be met using SAF produced using current feedstocks
What about hydrogen-powered fuel cells?
- 40: Largest jet flown to date powered by hydrogen fuel cells
- 2025: Year Universal Hydrogen expects the first regional airliners powered by hydrogen fuel cells to take to the skies with passengers onboard
- 247: Orders to convert regional airliners to hydrogen fuel cell systems that Universal Hydrogen already has in the pipeline
- 2035: Year Universal Hydrogen hopes to get hydrogen fuel cells into commercial single-aisle jets
- 60%: Share of aviation sector emissions single-aisle jets are responsible for
- -423: Degrees liquid hydrogen must be kept at
- 96: Hours Universal Hydrogen’s proprietary pods can keep liquid hydrogen stable without needing special handling
- 2: Rows of revenue-generating seats that must be removed from most regional airliners to fit hydrogen fuel cell systems
- 4: Times the volume of hydrogen needed to replace traditional jet fuel, requiring redesign of larger planes
- 0.1%: Share of global hydrogen that’s now green, made using renewable energy
Planes powered by electricity and by liquid hydrogen also are on the table, with their own sets of advantages and challenges. And I look forward to digging into those options more down the road…
In the meantime, I also compiled this roundup of ways to make travel more sustainable. Happy planning!
— Brooke Staggs, environment reporter
ENERGIZE
In the pipeline: The pipeline that ruptured and spewed about 25,000 gallons of oil into the ocean off Huntington Beach in October 2021 is being refilled with oil and is expected to be in use again sometime this month, pipeline operator Amplify Energy said Monday. Andre Mouchard and I have the update. …READ MORE…
- Reaction from environmental community: “If this is the status quo, we’re on a bad trajectory. We could see a much larger oil spill any day.”
Electrifying Irvine: Irvine recently became the first city in Orange County to require most new buildings to be all-electric. The move comes amid heightened awareness of health risks and climate damage caused by natural gas, which is largely methane. Our Yusra Farzan has the story. …READ MORE…
Learn to love power lines: To power the electrification of California, Sammy Roth with the Los Angeles Times reports the state will need to nearly double its electricity generating capacity over the next decade alone. That means spending at least $9 billion on new power lines. …READ MORE…
HYDRATE
Before and after: Who doesn’t love a good before and after shot? Come to this Associated Press story we picked up for information about how this wet winter has impacted reservoirs across California. Stay for the amazing photos showing what that difference looks like. …READ AND SEE MORE…
Easing tensions: “It gives us breathing room. It gives us a little bit of space to negotiate.” The LA Times’ Ian James looks at how this wet winter has slightly, temporarily, eased some tensions around Colorado River rights. …READ MORE…
Infrastructure lifeline: The Biden administration just gave California more than $690 million to improve water quality and infrastructure. Of note: A 2022 audit found almost a million Californians lack access to safe drinking water. McClatchy has the story, and h/t to the CalMatters newsletter for sharing. …READ MORE…
Land o’ lakes: Temporary bodies of water you might now see near the Santa Ana River are recharge basins, and Andre Mouchard reports they’re part of a broad system aimed at storing and conserving rain. Our Jeff Gritchen has great drone shots of our mini Minnesota. …READ MORE…
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TRANSPORT
Biking for the planet: Our Hanna Lykke looked at the rise of e-bikes in Southern California, including who’s using them, who’s getting hurt, what the law books have to say… Great photos by Watchara Phomicinda and Mindy Schauer, too! …READ MORE…
Ferry woes: The Balboa Island Ferry, in service in Newport Beach for more than a century, is asking the state for more time to convert its three vessels to all-electric engines to comply with new emissions regulations. Our Erika Ritchie reports local representatives are considering legislation to save the historic ferry if needed. …READ MORE…
Trains are back, baby: After half a year of work to secure a coastal bluff along a key stretch of track, Laylan Connelly reports passenger trains are expected to resume full service through San Clemente starting on April 17. …READ MORE…
EXPLORE
Grand Prix goes green: For a different kind of exploration… Check out how the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach has waved the green flag on sustainability. Our Teresa Liu looked at how a new type of tire, reusable beverage containers, renewable fuel and other changes will make this weekend’s massive event greener than ever. …READ MORE…
PITCH IN
Share Earth Day events: For this week’s tip on how Southern Californians can help the environment… Know about an Earth Day event happening anywhere in Southern California on or around April 22? I’m still collecting details to bstaggs@scng.com so I can share a roundup in an upcoming issue of The Compost and hopefully generate more support for the work you all are doing to protect our corner of this wild and wonderful planet.
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