Aviation Sustainability and the Environment, CAPA 19-Feb-2020

Singapore Airlines reported (14-Feb-2020) it has implemented measures to reduce the amount of single use plastics and waste on board aircraft and in its facilities.

The carrier added steps have also been taken to increase the use of renewable energy and lower electricity consumption in order to reduce its overall carbon footprint.

Excerpt from original report: Wide-ranging Transformation Continues to Drive Strong Results 

Operating our business in a sustainable manner has always been a priority for the Group. We have invested heavily in a young fuel-efficient fleet, and constantly seek ways to further improve efficiency by optimising flight routings, reducing aircraft weight and leveraging data analytics to optimise fuel uplift. We have rolled out measures to reduce the amount of single-use plastics and minimise waste both on board our aircraft and in our facilities. Steps have been taken to increase our use of renewable energy and lower our electricity consumption. We will aggressively pursue opportunities and embark on initiatives that will help the Group to further reduce its overall carbon footprint. 

Air Europa to reduce emissions by 10% by 2022

Air Europa reported (17-Feb-2020) plans to reduce emissions by 10% by 2022 compared with 2017 levels.

The carrier will primarily achieve this through fleet renewal with the addition of new Boeing 787 equipment.

Original report: ‘La Razón’: “Air Europa reduce su impacto ambiental”

La compañía aérea del grupo Globalia mantiene un firme compromiso con la sostenibilidad.

Globalia es un grupo comprometido con la sostenibilidad, uno de los ejes en las actuaciones de las empresas que lo componen. Así lo recoge el diario ‘La Razón’ dentro de su sección dedicada al medio ambiente, en la que recoge los progresos realizados por Air Europa, la división aérea.

“Air Europa reduce su impacto ambiental”, titula este periódico. “Air Europa, que cerró 2019 con 13 millones de pasajeros, avanza en un plan quinquenal que se saldará en 2022 con la reducción del 10% del consumo de combustible en su flota de larga distancia y de las emisiones de los Boeing 737. El compromiso de la aerolínea de Juan José Hidalgo incluye la apuesta por aviones eficientes, la reducción de la huella de carbono y la eliminación de los desechos plásticos a bordo”.

La concienciación de Air Europa no es algo nuevo. En 2006 se convirtió en la primera compañía aérea española en certificarse según la norma ISO 14001 Sistemas de Gestión Ambiental. En 2012 obtuvo el Registro EMAS. El objetivo fundamental es minimizar el impacto ambiental centrándose en reducir el consumo de recursos naturales, en la correcta gestión de residuos y en la optimización de los procedimientos para reducir ruido y emisiones de CO2.

En 2018 fue ha sido reconocida como la aerolínea europea de red más eficiente según la organización alemana Atmosfair. En el mismo ranking, aparece como la tercera aerolínea de red más eficiente del mundo. Además, Air Europa Express logró el tercer puesto entre las aerolíneas regionales más eficientes del mundo, y el primero en Europa.

Una flota más moderna
Air Europa apuesta por aviones más modernos y un uso más eficiente del combustible. La compañía se halla en pleno plan de renovación de flota con la incorporación de los nuevos aviones 787 de la familia Dreamliner de Boeing, los más eficientes del mercado, que reducen un 60% su impacto acústico, consumen un 20% menos de combustible y generan menos emisiones que cualquier otro avión de tamaño similar.

El objetivo primordial del Sistema de Gestión Ambiental es implementar la Política Medioambiental de la compañía, asegurar el cumplimiento de la legislación ambiental vigente, gestionar los aspectos ambientales, controlar los indicadores y alcanzar los objetivos propuestos a través de la mejora continua.

airBaltic to enhance business stability and environmental measures in 2020

airBaltic CEO Martin Gauss stated (18-Feb-2020) the carrier will further improve business stability and enhance sustainability measures in 2020.

Mr Gauss said: "We fly a growing number of Airbus A220-300, the greenest commercial aircraft available, but we are not stopping there. We have introduced various other initiatives to decrease our CO2 emissions, with more to come".

Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 34% over four years

Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse, Liebherr's centre of excellence for air management systems, released (18-Feb-2020) its 2018 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Declaration for its French sites in Toulouse and Campsas. The results show a general downward trend of greenhouse gas emissions, with a 34% reduction over the past four years.

The reduction occurred despite the addition of 145 employees and an increase in turnover of greater than 20% between 2014 and 2018. Further emissions reductions activities will be undertaken in 2020, including the installation of solar power infrastructure.

Original report: Less Greenhouse Gas Emissions at Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse

Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse SAS, Liebherr’s center of excellence for air management systems, has released it 2018 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Declaration for its sites in Toulouse and Campsas (France).

Committed to preserve the environment, the company pursues consequently its action plan regarding the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions as demonstrated by the BEGES 2018 report (Greenhouse Gas Balance). This balance sheet records the direct emissions data generated from both fixed (e.g. oil supply) and mobile sources (e.g. utility vehicles), as well as indirect emissions associated with the consumption of electricity that is necessary for the company’s activities.

Published in 2019, the results show a general downward trend of 34% on greenhouse gas emissions for the past four years in a context of growth, i.e. an addition of 145 employees from 2014 to 2018 and a turnover increase by +20% between 2014 and 2018.

These figures are the result of a coherent and consequent strategy led by Liebherr-Aerospace in terms of energy use. Several initiatives have been taken such as the replacement of oil supply, improvement of the infrastructure (e.g. installation of LED lighting, implementation of an energy management system and management of parking lighting), the optimization of test benches, especially the one which are run with refrigerants as well as the replacement of two utility vehicles by electric vehicles.

Other upcoming initiatives will be implemented in 2020, including the installation of photovoltaic panels.

ARA and CLG partnering on SAF derived from waste fats and oils through new CHJ standard

Applied Research Associates (ARA) and Chevron Lummus Global (CLG) announced (18-Feb-2020) a partnership to develop novel solutions to meet the global need for sustainable aviation fuels (SAF)

ASTM International recently approved a new production pathway for SAF known as Catalytic Hydrothermolysis Jet (CHJ). The standard, ASTM D7566 Annex A6, was approved on 15-Dec-2019, with the revised specification published on 29-Jan-2020. The new pathway allows blending of up to 50% of ReadiJet, a biofuel SAF, with traditional jet fuel.

ReadiJet is produced by the Biofuels ISOCONVERSION process which converts waste fats, oils, and greases into SAF. The Biofuels ISOCONVERSION technology is now poised for scale up in the US and Japan.

Original report: ASTM International Approves New Production Pathway for Sustainable Aviation Fuel

Applied Research Associates, Inc. (ARA) and Chevron Lummus Global LLC (CLG) are working toward a more sustainable future by developing novel solutions to meet the global need for sustainable aviation fuels. The team is proud to announce that ASTM International has approved the new production pathway for Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) called “Catalytic Hydrothermolysis Jet,” or CHJ.

“Commercial volumes of competitively priced sustainable aviation fuel are in demand,” said Chuck Red, ARA’s Vice President of Fuels Development. “The aviation sector is working hard to improve its carbon footprint and the approval of the CHJ pathway adds another great option. We are excited to play our part by accelerating the scaling of sustainable aviation fuels.”

ASTM D7566 Annex A6 was approved on Dec. 15 and was published in the revised specification for “Aviation Turbine Fuel Containing Synthesized Hydrocarbons,” ASTM D7566-19b on January 29. 

The new annex allows blending of up to 50 percent of ARA and CLG’s ReadiJet™ with petroleum-derived jet fuel. ReadiJet™ is produced by the Biofuels ISOCONVERSION process, which is jointly developed by ARA and CLG. CLG serves as the single point of contact for licensing and engineering of Biofuels ISOCONVERSION.

Biofuels ISOCONVERSION technology consists of hydrothermal conversion and hydrotreating operations that convert waste fats, oils, and greases into jet fuel that is nearly indistinguishable from petroleum jet fuel. ReadiJet™ contains a uniform distribution of all hydrocarbon types observed in petroleum fuels including aromatic, cycloparaffin, isoparaffin, and normal paraffin compounds. 

ReadiJet™ is a very clean, high-thermal-stability fuel that exhibits density and energy content equivalent to petroleum Jet A or Jet A-1. ReadiJet™ was the first sustainable aviation fuel to be flight tested neat, unblended, when it was flown in a National Research Council Canada Falcon 20 aircraft on Oct. 12, 2012.

ARA, CLG, and their partners produced 70,000 gallons of ReadiJet™ that met the U.S. Navy procurement specification for renewable JP-5 (called CHCJ-5).  The U.S. Navy successfully flew nine EA-18G Growler flights on 100 percent CHJ (no blending with petroleum) as part of its MILSPEC certification of the fuel in 2016.

“This was a huge team effort to scale and commercialize the technology and achieve the certification of the jet fuel,” said Ed Coppola, who led ARA’s certification effort. “We are thankful for the support of the original equipment manufacturers, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Air Force, and the FAA and its CLEEN program, who performed extensive analysis and testing of CHJ.  We also appreciate the support of organizations such as the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) and Airlines for America, who continue to be strong advocates for commercial production of sustainable aviation fuels.”

“CLG is excited to be able to offer Biofuels ISOCONVERSION technology, along with our partner, ARA, to meet the growing demand of renewable fuels,” said Thad Sauvain, CLG’s Global Licensing and Sales Director. “This ASTM certification is further proof of the viability of the products from our technology,”

The Biofuels ISOCONVERSION technology is now poised for scale up in the United States and Japan. In the United States, multiple commercial projects are in engineering, and Euglena Corporation is working to start up its integrated Biofuels ISOCONVERSION demonstration facility in Japan with the intent to deliver CHJ for commercial flights during the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.