Delta Air Lines reveals strategy to move beyond fossil fuels

Using sustainable aviation fuel instead comes with its own set of issues.

Delta Air Lines has announced a new plan to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and address climate change. The airline's goal is for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to make up at least 95 percent of its fuel consumption by 2050. SAF is made from waste or crops and is supposed to cancel out much of the greenhouse gas emissions that planes produce. While SAF is not a perfect system and could create new environmental problems, it is seen by the industry as the most viable alternative to fossil fuels for now. Delta is also exploring hydrogen-powered and electric planes, but SAF is at the forefront of its midterm strategy.

The company has committed to 200 million gallons worth of SAF offtake agreements, but the world doesn't produce enough SAF currently to fuel Delta's operations for even a single day. The company has set incremental milestones to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and acknowledges that it will need help from policymakers and the industry to make SAF more affordable and accessible. However, skyrocketing demand for SAF could lead to detrimental side effects for the environment, and aviation remains one of the hardest sectors to clean up.