A study on low-carbon aviation fuels in the United States : economic potential and challenges facing consumer awareness and favorability
Abstract
This is a study of consumer perception and willingness to pay a premium for
low-carbon aviation fuels. Commercial aviation is among the fastest growing contributors to
anthropogenic climate change and low-carbon drop-in fuels are among the technologies with
potential to address this issue. This thesis includes an introduction of concept, an economic
evaluation of the marketplace, applications of relevant academic theory, a description of
research method, (an online survey distributed to an anonymous and broad cohort) as well as
results and conclusions. Study participants had their awareness of low-carbon drop-in fuels
and willingness to pay a ticket surcharge for these fuels evaluated at baseline and after
exposure to information about the environmental impact of aviation and the potential for
low-carbon fuels to ameliorate this impact. The results of the study were that willingness to
pay increased by a statistically significant amount post-exposure, confirming the authors
hypothesis with regard to the research question.
Keywords: Biofuels, Low-carbon drop-in fuels, Aviation, U.S., Transport, Greenhouse Gas
Emissions Reduction