Rolls-Royce is spearheading a groundbreaking initiative to revolutionize the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) in the aviation industry. The project, named Quantifying Reduction in Thermal Contrails by Optimising SAF (QRITOS), aims to enhance the effectiveness of SAF in reducing non-CO2 emissions, particularly those associated with contrail formation. This ambitious endeavor brings together a diverse team comprising Rolls-Royce, British Airways, Imperial College London, and Heathrow Airport, all working towards a common goal of environmental sustainability.
SAF has already proven its potential to significantly reduce end-to-end CO2 emissions from fuel, and it is poised to play a pivotal role in aviation's decarbonization journey. However, recent in-flight measurements have revealed an even more promising aspect of SAF: its ability to decrease the number of ice crystals in contrails, thereby mitigating the climate impact of these thin clouds of ice particles that often form behind aircraft. Despite this, the current availability of SAF is limited, making up only a small fraction of aviation's overall fuel requirements, and it is typically blended with conventional fossil fuels at low ratios.
The introduction of the SAF mandate in the UK, which mandates a 10% SAF blend in UK aviation fuel by 2030 and 22% by 2040, is expected to boost SAF usage. This mandate presents an opportunity to strategically utilize SAF on flights that are more likely to produce persistent contrails, as most of the potential climate impact stems from a small percentage of flights. The QRITOS project aims to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach at one of the world's busiest airports, Heathrow. By combining data from British Airways flight trials, advanced modeling, and satellite observations, the project will monitor contrail formation following targeted SAF usage.
The primary objective of QRITOS is to demonstrate the possibility of prioritizing specific flights for SAF, focusing on those routes where it can deliver the most significant environmental benefits and maximize the effectiveness of the available SAF supply. This project is part of the Non-CO2 Programme, which addresses challenges in reducing non-CO2 emissions from aircraft, as outlined in the ATI's Non-CO2 Technologies Roadmap. The funding for this initiative is provided by the Aerospace Technology Institute, Department for Business and Trade (DBT), Innovate UK, in collaboration with the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
Chris McDonald, an Industry Minister, expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, 'This is a prime example of government and business working in harmony to advance the UK's position at the forefront of sustainable aviation. We are committed to supporting the aerospace industry through our modern Industrial Strategy, providing the necessary confidence for businesses to invest in advanced manufacturing and drive growth as part of our Plan for Change.'
The QRITOS project, set to conclude in April 2027, will also contribute to the development of improved forecasting methods, a deeper understanding of contrail formation, and the creation of verification methods based on satellite data, further advancing the aviation industry's sustainability efforts.
