Sustainable energy for aviation: What are our options?

Scientists and industry leaders worldwide are looking for answers on how to make aviation sustainable by 2050 .

Phil Ansell , aerospace engineer at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign , took a full inventory of the options to make a data-driven assessment.

Ansell said several key energy carriers emerged, including bio jet fuel pathways for synthetic kerosene, liquid hydrogen, ammonia, liquid natural gas, ethanol, methanol , and battery electric systems.

Countries may need different strategies, different rates of implementation, and adoption of renewables, based on their own resources.

Denmark doesn't have as much land as the U.S. and so is making great use of offshore wind turbine platforms.

"Maybe we should play to our strengths," says Phillip Ansell .