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S U M M A R Y Aviation has a long and successful record of improving fuel efficiency over time; however, it is still facing significant pressure to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and offset emissions that may result from growing demand for air travel. Industry stakeholders have committed to a wide range of measures for reducing GHG emissions, such as further fuel effi- ciency improvements, advanced air traffic management techniques to shorten routes, more efficient operations, and market-based and regulatory measures to further reduce emissions. Perhaps the most promising approach for reducing aviation GHG emissions is the use of alternative fuels. These fuels can also reduce surface emissions, which could also be a barrier to the growth of aviation. Environmentally beneficial alternatives to current Jet A fuel are in the early stages of com- mercialization, although rapid progress is being made in their development. It is important for stakeholders to understand how these new fuels will fit into the current system, how they will move from fuel production sites to airports, and what is involved on the part of the airports to accommodate the fuels and deliver them to aircraft. This project has assessed what is involved in getting alternative fuels to airports, what air- ports need to know to accommodate them, how the costs of using these fuels compares to current fuel, what the environmental benefits are, and what practical considerations are involved at the airport. In addition to this technical report, which provides the detailed infor- mation and analysis needed to understand alternative fuel use at airports, there are two other products from this project: a computational tool for evaluating the costs and benefits of air- port alternative fuel use and an accompanying handbook that guides the user through the application of the tool. This report describes how alternative fuels may be used to supplement and eventually replace conventional fuels and what is important for airports to consider. It also describes the underlying analysis that is incorporated in the computational tool. The following key accomplishments of the project are described in the report: ⢠An extensive search of the scientific literature on alternative fuel production and use was con- ducted to assess viable alternative fuels, environmental impacts of using alternative fuels in aircraft and ground support equipment, and how these fuels might be deployed at airports. ⢠Detailed interviews and surveys of fueling equipment were conducted at seven airports to assess airportsâ readiness for using alternative fuels and to better understand what fueling equipment may be involved in the transition to these new fuels. ⢠Key environmental factors for aircraft and GSE emissions affecting surface air quality were assessed in detail to evaluate potential environmental benefits of alternative fuel use. The life-cycle GHG emissions from alternative fuel production and use were also evaluated and compared among different fuel sources. Handbook for Analyzing the Costs and Benefits of Alternative Aviation Turbine Engine Fuels at Airports 1
2⢠A full atmospheric chemistry assessment was conducted of changes in particulate matter concentrations from aircraft in the vicinity of Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport to evaluate the impacts of alternative fuel use on ambient pollution concentrations, which is a better proxy for human health effects than a simple emissions inventory. ⢠The Alternative Fuel Investigation Tool (AFIT) was produced to provide a computational tool for airports and others interested in alternative jet fuels to evaluate the costs and benefits of employing these fuels. ⢠A handbook was prepared to guide AFIT users and provide background information on the tool, suggest data inputs, and provide information on evaluating outputs. While alternative fuels are not yet in use at airports, this project has identified some of the essential considerations that airports and other stakeholders will need to evaluate as oppor- tunities arise. It has also provided a user-friendly tool for quantifying the costs and benefits of alternative fuel use at airports. ACRP Report 46 contains the contractorâs research report followed by instructions for using AFIT: the Alternative Fuels Investigation Tool. The AFIT model is provided on the CD-ROM attached to this report.