Synthetic jet fuel race set for take-off

Repsol and others see synthetic fuel as the most viable long-term alternative to kerosene, but state support is vital

Aviation faces perhaps the biggest challenge in transitioning away from fossil fuels—but the industry now appears to be coalescing around a synthetic jet fuel solution. The weight and volume of batteries make them unsuitable for aeroplanes of more than approximately six passengers, so a molecule-based solution is essential. Renewable fuels, which can be blended and used in conventional engines, offer the most promise. Bio-kerosene, although more advanced in terms of its development, has limited potential due to the lack of organic feedstock—which anyway has its own environmental problems—and therefore production capacity. Instead, synthetic kerosene is the most viable long-term alternative,