An Integrated Multi-criteria Decision Analysis Framework for Assessing the Sustainability of Alternative Jet Fuels

One of the most viable options to decarbonise the aviation industry is to operate existing engines and aircrafts through low-carbon alternative jet fuels (AJFs). The key advantages of these fuels are that they work with existing engine technology, allowing a seamless transition between conventional petroleum jet fuels and more sustainable feedstocks. Lifecycle Assessment models have introduced datasets which attempt to estimate the emissions of AJFs’ process pathways from various feedstocks. To assist with decision making and policy formation in AJFs, a more relativistic performance of different technology solutions must be assessed to provide an impartial picture of technologies. Here, we propose an integrated multi-criteria decision analysis-based framework to assess performance of competing alternative jet fuel pathways. While existing studies tend to measure effectiveness via cost-benefit analysis or carbon reduction, our proposed framework will provide an in-depth understanding of competing technologies under four dimensions: financial (e.g., capital cost, running cost, feedstock prices; and revenues), environmental (e.g., CO₂ emissions savings), technical (e.g., technology maturity; transferability) and social (e.g., social acceptance; wealth and job creation). Compared to standard approaches, our framework can handle data in different forms and uncertainty. Furthermore, we also discuss how different AJFs might be produced more effectively and highlight key practical points on the need for government and stakeholder integration on the large-scale production of AJFs. By focusing on motives, attitudes and decision making of experts, end-users and stakeholders – rather than merely the pure techno-economic or environmental aspects of alternative jet fuels – this paper makes a new contribution to the field.