Reaching the percentage depends on technological developments and regulatory changes in the sector
A Life Cycle Assessment of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Sustainable Aviation Fuel– produced from second-crop canola in Brazil indicates a potential reduction of up to 55% in GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, depending on the adoption scenario, compared to Jet-A1 fossil kerosene.
The study analyzes all stages of the process, from the cultivation of the raw material to the final use of the fuel in the aircraft, an approach known as LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), which allows understanding the environmental impacts throughout the entire production chain. Here is it, in English (PDF – 9 MB).
According to the Embrapa Environment analyst, the assessment showed that, in an optimistic scenario – considered hypothetical –, the reduction in emissions could reach 55%.
She said, however, that this percentage represents a maximum potential, based on ideal adoption conditions that are not yet viable in practice. Currently, there are technical and regulatory limitations that, for example, restrict the replacement of traditional fossil fuel.
One of the obstacles is that, in the case of HEFA-type SAF (produced from oils and fats), the mixture with conventional aviation kerosene is limited to around 50%. This means that even with widespread adoption, it is not yet possible to fully replace jet fuel with sustainable alternatives.
Therefore, the percentages presented should be interpreted, according to Sabaini, as an estimate of the potential for mitigating emissions, and not as an immediate or guaranteed result. Progress will depend on factors such as technological evolution, expansion of SAF production and changes in sector regulations.
The research work is the result of a collaboration between the (Energy and Environment Laboratory), linked to the Postgraduate Program in Mechanical Sciences at UnB, (DF) and (SP). The study contributes to the international debate on the decarbonization of aviation.
Scenarios considered
The analysis was conducted considering all emissions from canola production to the burning of fuel in the plane. Real data from Brazilian producers were used, representing tropical growing conditions in a second harvest system.
The study also includes modeling of the HEFA route (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids), technology that transforms vegetable oils into aviation fuel through hydrotreatment processes.
The production of 1 MJ (which is equivalent to 1 million joules, a unit of energy measurement) of biokerosene was evaluated in 3 scenarios:
- Jet-A1 fossil;
- mix 50% SAF and 50% Jet-A1;
- 100% SAF.
The analysis is in line with international guidelines such as the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) program for reducing and compensating CO2 emissions from international flights.
The work also dialogues with national decarbonization policies, including aea.
“The airline sector needs technically viable alternatives to meet global climate goals and SAF is, today, the main short and medium term strategy. Our difference was to analyze canola grown as a 2nd crop in Brazil, in rotation with soybeans, under tropical conditions that are still little represented in international literature”said Giulia Lamas, collaborator at Embrapa Meio Ambiente and doctoral student at UnB.
Agriculture still concentrates emissions
The results indicate that the agricultural phase accounts for the largest portion of emissions in the canola SAF life cycle. Cultivation contributes approximately 34.2 g of CO₂ eq./MJ, driven mainly by the production of fertilizers and emissions of nitrous oxide, N₂O, from the soil. The industrial conversion step via HEFA contributes around 12.8 g of CO₂ eq./MJ when using hydrogen of fossil origin.
“The production and use of fertilizers, especially nitrogen, represent the main critical point of the system, both due to associated emissions and impacts on water and ecosystems”declared, researcher at Embrapa Agroenergia.
According to Cardoso, bioinputs are an excellent option for reducing emissions in canola production.
The impacts associated with the use of fertilizers were classified into categories such as eutrophication (excess nutrients in aquatic environments that can cause algae proliferation and reduction of oxygen in the water) and human toxicity, indicating that the efficient management of inputs is decisive for the environmental performance of the fuel.
“The analysis shows that the sustainability of SAF depends both on industrial advances and improvements in agronomic practices”said UnB professor Edgar Amaral Silveira, advisor and co-author of the study.
Green hydrogen is decisive
The study shows that the origin of the hydrogen used in the production of the fuel is a decisive factor for environmental performance.
When hydrogen of fossil origin is replaced by that produced from renewable energy, such as solar and wind, there is a significant reduction (ranging from 86 to 94%) in emissions in the industrial stage.
In more advanced scenarios, with integration of low-carbon hydrogen, total emissions from the fuel could be significantly lower compared to fossil kerosene.
“The integration of bioenergy and renewable hydrogen can significantly reduce the carbon intensity of aviation fuels”said Silveira.
Land use and Brazilian specificities
The study also indicates a reduction in the use of fossil resources by measuring an indicator known as fossil depletion, which represents the amount of non-renewable resources used throughout the process.
As expected in agricultural biofuels, there are impacts associated with land use, mainly concentrated in the cultivation stage. In Brazil, however, there is a relevant characteristic: canola is mostly grown as a 2nd crop, in rotation with soybeans. Therefore, this cultivation takes advantage of areas already used and increases the efficiency of land use.
“Brazil has a relevant comparative advantage: here, canola is not the main crop that ‘disputes’ for area, but as an option for a second crop in the winter and off-season, in integrated rotation systems. This improves the sustainability performance of Brazilian canola in relation to regions where it is grown as a single crop”declared, head of Research and Development at Embrapa Agroenergia and researcher responsible for the tropicalization of canola.
The study also highlights that emissions associated with indirect land use change were not considered, a limitation and opportunity for future research.
Implications for climate policy and certification
The results highlight the importance of Brazilian regulatory tools for the sustainable expansion of biofuels.
Currently, canola is not yet included in the HEFA route of the tool used by RenovaBio to certify carbon intensity and emission (Decarbonization Credits). The inclusion of this raw material could expand certification options and better reflect national agricultural diversity.
Furthermore, the study contributes data that can support methodological improvements in RenovaCalc, especially regarding the carbon intensity of hydrogen, agricultural emissions and integration with renewable energy.
Sustainability beyond carbon
The study highlights that environmental analysis must go beyond carbon emissions, also considering impacts on water, soil and ecosystems.
“The reduction of climate emissions must be accompanied by improvements in the use of fertilizers and the mitigation of impacts on water and ecosystems”said Sabaini.
“Brazil has favorable conditions to integrate agricultural production and renewable energy, which can further expand the climate benefits of SAF”said the Embrapa Environment researcher.
This text was originally by Embrapa, on April 22, 2026. The content is free for republication, citing the source, and was adapted to the standard of Poder360.
