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Alternative
fuels
GE Aerospace

Fuel flexibility in future

engine designs
GE Aerospace is also supporting industry initiatives to approve and adopt 100 percent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and is partnering on a new flight demonstration program to test zero-carbon hydrogen fuel combustion.
    GE Aerospace
    Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
    SAF is jet fuel made from alternative sources and processes than those for fossil based fuels, such as oils from plants, algae, greases, fats, waste streams, alcohols, sugars, and captured CO2. GE Aerospace has been actively involved in assessing and qualifying SAF since 2007 and works closely with SAF producers, regulators, and operators to ensure that SAF can be widely adopted for use in aviation. More than 400,000 commercial flights have been operated using SAF since 2011, according to ATAG.

    Currently, SAF approved for use is a blend of petroleum-based Jet A or Jet A-1 fuel and a SAF component with a maximum blend limit of 50%. One of GE Aerospace's fuel experts chairs an international task force to develop standardized industry specifications supporting adoption of 100% SAF, which does not require blending with conventional jet fuel.
    Advancing SAF

    Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) today and in the future. We are helping lead the industry to develop 100% SAF that doesn’t require blending with conventional jet fuel. Developed with economic, social and environmental considerations, SAF is made from non-petroleum based sources.

      GE Aerospace

      SAF advancements

      All GE Aerospace and CFM International engines can operate on approved SAF … TODAY. CFM is a 50-50 joint company between GE and Safran Aircraft Engines. GE Aerospace’s extensive SAF testing and demonstration efforts include the following industry first.
        2008
        2010
        2011
        2016
        2018
        2021
        First SAF commercial demonstration flight powered by CF6 engines
        First SAF helicopter flight powered by T700 engines
        First SAF commercial revenue flight powered by CFM56 engines.

        First SAF transatlantic flight of a large freight commercial airplane in 2011 powered by GEnx engines
        First military jet flight using 100% SAF powered by F414 engines
        First commercial airliner flight using 100% non drop-in SAF powered by GE90 engines
        First powered to-liquid (PtL) SAF commercial flight powered by CFM56 engines

        First SAF flight for the commercial Sikorsky S-92 helicopter in 2021 powered by CT7 engines

        Experimental passenger flight using 100% drop-in SAF in one of the two engines powered by CFM LEAP engines
        GE Aerospace
        What is drop-in SAF
        Drop-in SAF means the fuel meets current petroleum-based jet fuel requirements and can be substituted for jet fuel without any modifications to engines and airframes, and is therefore compatible with the existing commercial fleet, as well as with other parts of the fuel distribution and storage infrastructure. Drop-in 100% SAF is not yet qualified by ASTM International, an organization that develops technical standards.
        GE Aerospace
        Hydrogen as an aviation fuel
        Hydrogen fuel presents a unique opportunity for the aviation industry to achieve zero carbon emissions flight. The absence of carbon in hydrogen results in combustion byproducts limited to water vapor and nitrogen oxides (NOx). GE Aerospace believes hydrogen-fueled flight is technically feasible and is working to develop solutions to address product design and certification hurdles associated with the combustion of a cryogenic fuel. GE Aerospace is actively working in close cross-business collaboration with GE Research, GE Renewables, and GE Power to advance research and development supporting the use of liquid hydrogen (LH2).
        GE Aerospace
        Hydrogen combustion
        demonstration
        CFM International, a 50-50 joint company between GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engines, has also launched a demonstration program in collaboration with Airbus to ground and flight test a direct combustion engine fueled by hydrogen. CFM will modify the combustor, fuel system, and control system of a GE Passport turbofan to run on hydrogen, which doesn’t generate carbon emissions during the combustion process.

        GE Aerospace engineers are rising to this challenge with a global hydrogen team already in place and growing. Efforts to design a new hydrogen combustor engine will draw from GE Aerospace’s more than 8 million hours of operating experience with hydrogen combustion already today with land-based gas turbines.