Aviation Sustainability and the Environment, CAPA 29-Jan-2020

This CAPA report features a summary of recent aviation sustainability and environment news, selected from the 300+ news alerts published daily by CAPA.

ICAO: International aviation accounts for just 1.3% of human induced GHG impacts

ICAO secretary general Dr Fang Liu, addressing the 2020 World Economic Forum, noted (28-Jan-2020) emissions from international flights account for just 1.3% of annual human-induced greenhouse gas (GHG) impacts, and modern aircraft are 70% more fuel efficient than the first jets to enter operation.

Dr Liu highlighted that, in addition to the continuous technological innovations now being realised for airframes and aircraft propulsion technologies, new sustainable fuel alternatives hold the potential to reduce jet fuel life-cycle CO2 emissions by up to 80%. In this regard, she called for greater private-public coordination on advancing sustainable aviation fuel development and deployment.

"As we seek to meaningfully address the sustainability of international flight, we must do so in manner which doesn't lead to disconnecting the incredibly diverse world which generations have worked so hard to bring together, and upon which so much of global prosperity now depends," Dr. Liu said. [more - original PR]

ICAO secretary general contributes to WEF2020 discussions on 21st century aerial mobility

ICAO secretary general Dr Fang Liu contributed (28-Jan-2020) to a range of 2020 World Economic Forum (WEF2020) sessions on topics relating to drones and urban air mobility, medical applications for unmanned aircraft, including emergency supply deliveries and epidemic control, and current and future aviation emissions reduction efforts.

Dr Liu provided inputs concerning air taxi and other unmanned aircraft certification to discussions surrounding the need for the future mobility ecosystem to be clean and inclusive, and highlighted more generally that "the new aircraft and flight capabilities which are being innovated today carry the potential to revolutionise our personal and collective mobility".

Noting that these new aviation innovations are already largely emissions free, and affordable to developed and developing nations alike, she commented on how their growth vector is highly promising and has "implications for a range of urban mobility and e-commerce applications and business models". [more - original PR]

IATA expects oil and jet fuel prices will remain volatile in 2020

IATA reported (27-Jan-2020) it expects "high volatility" in oil and jet fuel prices to continue in 2020. The association noted Brent crude oil rose to USD70 per barrel and jet fuel prices rose to USD84 per barrel during the increased period of tension between the US and Iran in early Jan-2020. Although the impact was short lived, IATA believes prices remain "vulnerable to intensified geopolitical risks". [more - original PR]

OpenAirlines: SAS Ireland implements SkyBreathe eco-flying solution

OpenAirlines announced (28-Jan-2020) Scandinavian Airlines Ireland (SAS Ireland) implemented OpenAirlines' SkyBreathe eco-flying solution to save fuel and reduce CO2 emissions. SkyBreathe Fuel Efficiency solution combines big data algorithms, artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse flight recorders and identify relevant saving opportunities.

"As part of SAS Group, SAS Ireland has many initiatives in motion to lower its CO2 emissions and other environmental impacts. To go further, we needed to have a better understanding of our fuel consumption, that's why we selected SkyBreathe. The software will be a great asset to help us achieve our goals," said Eoin O'Malley, Flight Operations Manager at SAS Ireland.

Other airlines using SkyBreathe include Norwegian, Malaysia Airlines, Transavia and Atlas Air. [more - original PR]

Druk Air to shift to 'eco friendly utensils' in 2020

Druk Air, via its official Twitter account, announced (27-Jan-2020) plans to decrease its use of "single use plastic and aluminium by shifting to eco friendly utensils" in 2020. The airline plans to "replace the present inflight equipment" with "paper cups, wooden cutleries, meals in paper packages and recycled bamboo fibre napkins" by Sep-2020.

Finavia joins the Network for Electric Aviation

Finavia joined (28-Jan-2020) the Network for Electric Aviation (NEA), a Nordic initiative to enhance and accelerate the development and introduction of electric aviation to the Nordics. NEA members will meet in late Jan-2020 to discuss electric aviation in workshops, such as standardising electric air infrastructure in the Nordic countries and developing aircraft technology for Nordic weather conditions.

Finavia technical director Henri Hansson commented: "Electric-powered aircraft will likely be a vital part of tackling the environmental challenges of the aviation industry. As an airport operator, we want to find out what kind of development electric flying will require from our airports".

Mr Hansson said electric aircraft would be "especially suited" to short-haul routes and commented: "I believe that in Finland, the first electric passenger aircraft will fly on a domestic route by the end of 2020s. If a clean method such as wind or solar power is used to produce the necessary electricity, the electric aircraft of the future could fly completely emission-free. Electric aircraft will be suited especially for short routes".

As previously reported by CAPA, other NEA members include Air Greenland, Avinor, Finnair, Icelandair, SAS and Swedavia. [more - original PR]

Aena achieves 'A' climate protection rating from Carbon Disclosure Project

Aena received (28-Jan-2020) an 'A' rating for effective climate protection services from the Carbon Disclosure Project. Aena is among seven Spanish companies that have achieved the highest category rating.

Aena ha conseguido la máxima calificación otorgada por la Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), en cuya evaluación se ha valorado su estrategia contra el cambio climático y las acciones llevadas a cabo en esta materia.

Aena se encuentra entre las únicas 7 empresas españolas que han conseguido la más alta categoría. [more - original PR - Spanish]

European Commission selects IMOTHEP project led by ONERA to study hybrid electric propulsion

ONERA announced (20-Jan-2020) the launch of the IMOTHEP (Investigation and Maturation of Technologies for Hybrid Electric Propulsion) project, an aviation research initiative on hybrid electric propulsion. EUR10.4 million in funding has been provided by the European Commission under Horizon 2020 framework programme. 33 industry partners are participating, including:

• OEMs: Airbus, Leonardo, Safran, GE Avio, MTU, ITP and GKN;
• European aeronautic research organisations: EREA, AIT, CIRA, DLR, ILOT, INCAS and NLR;
• Universities and education institutions: Université de Lorraine, ISAE/Sup'Aéro, Strathclyde University, TU Braunschweig, Politecnico di Bari, Chalmers University and the University of Nottingham;
• Other European aviation stakeholders: Bauhaus Luftfahrt, Eurocontrol, L'Up.

In addition, IMOTHEP is focused on developing cooperation with Russia, with the involvement of five research organisations - CIAM, GosNIIAS, MAI, NRC and TSaGI. The NRC from Canada is also participating. [more - original PR]

'I believe in a zero-carbon aircraft by 2035': French Ecology Minister

France's Minister for Ecological Transition Elisabeth Borne stated: "I believe in a zero-carbon hydrogen aircraft by 2035" (RTL, 28-Jan-2020). She said "we have to transition to aircraft that no longer emit CO2", adding that while this transition will require biofuels initially, care should be made that biofuel production does not accelerate deforestation or is not sourced from palm oil.