KEEP Scholar Develops Framework for Decarbonization of Africa’s Regional Air Transport

The KNUST Engineering Education Project (KEEP) highlights the PhD research of God’sable Sitsofe Koku Aidam, a scholar from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). With scholarship and research support from KEEP, God’sable has completed his doctoral studies, specialising in sustainable aviation and low-carbon transport systems.

His research addresses one of the most pressing challenges in modern transportation: decarbonising regional aviation. In his thesis, titled “An Integrated Framework for Sustainable Propulsion Pathways in Regional Aviation,” God’sable developed a practical, policy-ready framework that bridges advanced engineering analysis with real-world climate action to guide transitioning to carbon-neutral regional air travel.

The framework innovatively links near-term adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), which can reduce emissions with today’s aircraft and infrastructure, to medium-term upgrades of existing regional aircraft through hybrid-electric retrofits. Using a robust methodology, including technology ranking, mission-level aircraft modelling, and a focused case study of Ghana’s multi-modal transport-energy system, the work quantifies the critical trade-offs and practical steps required for a sustainable transition. This provides invaluable, evidence-based guidance for policymakers, aviation regulators, and industry stakeholders. The study concludes that Africa can achieve credible decarbonisation of regional aviation through a phased, integrated transition that delivers near-term emissions cuts via SAF while building the policy, infrastructure, and regulatory readiness required for medium-term hybrid-electric aircraft retrofits.

He acknowledges with deep appreciation the invaluable guidance and supervision of Prof. Richard Opoku, Prof. Mrs. Eunice Akyereko Adjei, and Prof. Francis Davis. Their expert direction and steadfast support were fundamental to the rigour and success of this research.

God’sable’s academic journey and research achievements were made possible through the unwavering funding, mentorship, and encouragement provided by KEEP. He expresses profound gratitude to the entire KEEP leadership, management, and staff for their instrumental role in his success. His work stands as a testament to KEEP’s commitment to fostering excellence and innovation in engineering education and research.

Looking ahead, God’sable plans to expand this work towards Sustainability and Climate Resilience, including SAF scale-up pathways for West Africa and integrated policy/industry strategies that accelerate the decarbonisation of regional mobility, bridging rigorous engineering analysis with implementable climate action.

The KNUST Engineering Education Project is dedicated to enhancing the quality and relevance of engineering education, empowering scholars like God’sable to drive transformative development in Ghana and beyond.