Researchers from the University of Sydney in Australia have recently created a chemical process that can use landfill methane gas emissions to make sustainable jet fuel. The development could potentially help potentially lead the aviation industry toward a more low-carbon future.

The aviation industry is responsible for roughly three percent of global emissions. Landfills emit up to 20 million tonnes of greenhouse gasses annually. This new process can help reduce both landfill and aviation emissions while offering a sustainable way to still provide fuel.

The process begins with the use of a shaft-like methane well to collect the emissions from a landfill. In some countries, like the United States, laws already exist in certain areas enforcing landfill methane collection, but their systems are designed for electricity generation.

 “Modern landfill facilities already capture, upgrade and combust their gas emissions for electricity generation,” professor PJ Cullen, lead author of the published research, said. “Our process creates a much more environmentally impactful and commercially valuable product.”

Non-thermal plasma is then used to excite the gas via renewable energy sources, and the conversion doesn’t necessitate any special conditions.

“The process doesn’t require heat or pressure, meaning it requires less energy, making it highly compatible with renewable energy power sources,” Cullen said.