#Sustainability20: United Airlines to launch first electric commuter flights in the Bay Area & Other Stories In Aviation
Weekly Roundup - 16/06/23
Each Friday, we publish a round-up of the most important stories on sustainable aviation. You can see previous editions of #Sustainability20 here.
Industry Updates
A survey commissioned by GE Aerospace revealed that the aviation industry is divided over meeting its net-zero emissions target by 2050. Of the executives surveyed, 46% believe the goal will be met, 32% think it won't, and 22% are uncertain. The majority expect it to be achieved by 2055. 74% plan to maintain or increase green investments despite economic challenges.
Avolon, an aircraft leasing firm, states that global aviation requires $4 trillion over the next 20 years for new commercial deliveries and to transform the fleet to reduce emissions. It predicts the world’s commercial passenger fleet will nearly double by 2042. Sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) and technological advancements, including a potential resurgence of turboprops, are crucial.
IATA and UNEP have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to address sustainability challenges in aviation, with an initial focus on reducing single-use plastic products and improving plastic circularity in aircraft cabins. The collaboration aims to harmonise global regulations, enabling airlines to implement circular economic solutions effectively.
Infrastructure and operational efficiencies
NASA and Boeing's Sustainable Flight Demonstrator project, designated as X-66A by the U.S. Air Force, aims to design a single-aisle aircraft reducing fuel consumption and emissions by 30%. The project combines advancements in propulsion, materials, and design, and is part of NASA's efforts towards achieving net-zero aviation emissions by 2050.
For more on Boeing, listen to our podcast episode with Sheila Remes, Boeing’s Vice President of Environmental Sustainability.
Frontier Airlines and flight technology firm APiJET have announced a partnership to test APiJET's 'Digital Winglets', a real-time flight route optimisation system. The technology can help airlines achieve optimal fuel and flight time efficiencies via a NASA-developed algorithm.
Chennai International Airport has switched to renewable energy sources that are generated from a variety of sources. These include rooftop solar plants, solar energy purchased from firms as well as power procured under green tariff from Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO).
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF)
SAF has been certified for the first time under the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), marking a significant step for aviation climate action. The certified SAF batches, produced in China, the Netherlands, and the US, reduce CO2 emissions by 75% to 84% compared to conventional fuels.
The Sustainable Aviation Fuels Accuracy Act of 2023, a bipartisan legislation, will update federal standards to align with the definition of SAF at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and require agencies to adopt the ”Greenhouse gases, Regulated Emissions, and Energy use in Technologies (GREET) Model,” the most accurate tool for measuring lifecycle emissions.
Sweden’s Trollhättan-Vänersborg Airport will be the first in the world to offer only blended SAF for all aircraft fueling, including business jets and turboprops. By the end of this month, Neste will commence continual supplies of its SAF to the airport at a 30 to 40 percent blend ratio.
Hydrogen may be the fuel of the future, but some maintain it’s probably best used to create SAF rather than a direct fuel source for hydrogen-powered aircraft that do not yet exist today.
Amadeus has acquired a minority stake in Caphenia — a future producer of synthesis gas, the feedstock of SAF — forming part of the technology firm’s commitment to supporting the industry on its journey toward sustainable travel.
The head of Qantas, Alan Joyce, says there is a path to zero carbon emissions by 2050 for the aviation industry, but does not see green hydrogen in the mix. Joyce said the airline was also committed to reducing its emissions by 25% by 2030 and investing in energy-efficient aircraft, along with plans to develop a SAF for use by 2050.
New technology: Electric and Hydrogen
United Airlines and Eve Air Mobility revealed plans on Wednesday to launch the first electric commuter flights throughout the Bay Area. Last year, United Airlines became the first major airliner to publicly invest in two eVTOL companies.
For more on United, listen to our podcast episode with United Airlines’ CEO Scott Kirby.
Airbus is set to publicly unveil its EcoPulse hybrid-electric aircraft, featuring a high-voltage battery, turbogenerator, and six wing-mounted electric propellers. Developed with Daher and Safran, the EcoPulse aims to demonstrate the efficiency and feasibility of distributed electric propulsion (DEP) in aviation.
For more on Airbus, listen to our podcast episode with Amanda Simpson, Vice President for Research & Technology (Americas) at Airbus.
After emerging from stealth mode, Conscious Aerospace is stepping up its plans to develop a liquid hydrogen-electric propulsion system. It says the system will be ready for commercial operations on retrofitted regional airliners by 2028, and potentially for new aircraft in the second half of the 2030s. The Dutch company recently embarked on a partnership with Canada’s De Havilland Aircraft to retrofit the Dash 8-300 twin turboprop with its fuel cell-based powertrain, which will run on liquid hydrogen from tanks installed in the rear of the fuselage.
Tecnam, an Italian electric plane developer, has halted the development of its P-volt aircraft due to battery limitations, including short lifespan and low energy density. The company will await advancements in battery technology before resuming development.
Universal Hydrogen’s Dash 8-300 turboprop running with one engine converted to fly with electricity generated by hydrogen fuel cells has made its second flight. The test aircraft, dubbed Lightning McClean, first flew on March 2. The 30-minute second flight (twice as long as the first) reached 5,000 feet (vs. 3,500 feet on the first flight).
Australia could see its first zero-emissions hydrogen-powered commercial flight by 2026 with the founding of a new Hydrogen Flight Alliance (HFA) between airports, airlines and other organisations.
The French government is backing VoltAero’s work on the Cassio family of hybrid-electric aircraft with a €5.6 million ($6 million) grant. The funding is part of the country’s France 2030 investment fund. VoltAero’s propulsion system is based on electric motors installed in the aft fuselage that will be used for all-electric power during taxi and takeoff, as well as during cruise flight on short trips of less than 150 kilometres (94 miles). An internal combustion engine provides supplementary power to extend range, while also recharging the batteries during flights.
VPorts has initiated the certification process for its vertiports as part of its advanced air mobility (AAM) integrator centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Aerospace Hub (MBRAH) in Dubai South. Construction of the vertiports will start in 2024.