Second-crop canola in Brazil can reduce aviation emissions by up to 55%, points out a study on SAF

A life cycle assessment of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) produced from second-crop canola in Brazil indicates potential for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 55%, compared to fossil Jet-A1 kerosene. The study considers all stages of the production chain — from canola cultivation to fuel combustion in aircraft — using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, widely used to measure full environmental impacts. The research is the result of a collaboration between the Energy and Environment Laboratory (LEA) of the University of Brasília, Embrapa Agroenergy, and Embrapa Environment. According to researcher Priscila Sabaini, from Embrapa Environment, the 55% reduction potential represents an optimistic and still hypothetical scenario, based on ideal adoption conditions. In practice, the percentage may vary due to technical and regulatory limitations, especially in the total replacement of fossil fuel. Currently, HEFA-type SAF (produced from oils and fats) allows for ...