Airline fuel efficiency gains not keeping pace with rapid growth in passenger traffic and emissions, finds studies
Wed 20 Dec 2017 - Fuel efficiency gains and fleet modernisation have failed to keep pace with overall growth in aircraft carbon emissions as a result of the rapid increase in air passenger travel, finds two reports monitoring airline performance. In its annual ranking of the carbon efficiency of 200 of the world's largest airlines that are responsible for 92 per cent of worldwide air traffic, German organisation atmosfair says global CO2 emissions increased by 4 per cent in the past year, while the kilometres flown rose by almost 7 per cent. It says airlines are only modernising their fleets at a slow pace with just 1 per cent of aircraft worldwide classified as highly fuel efficient. A study by US NGO the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) found a sharp increase in passenger traffic drove up both profits and fuel consumption on US domestic airline operations between 2014 and 2016. Read more ...
|
UK aviation has managed to decouple passenger increase from carbon and noise growth, says industry report
Tue 19 Dec 2017 - UK cross-industry coalition group Sustainable Aviation (SA) says the sector has succeeded in disconnecting the growth in passenger numbers from the rate of growth in carbon and noise emissions. In its latest progress report, carbon emissions from the six airline members of the group - British Airways, easyJet, Monarch, Thomas Cook, Thomson Airways and Virgin Atlantic - increased by less than half a per cent between 2014 and 2016 despite a 9 per cent increase in the number of passengers flown. During the same period, it reports a reduction of 12,000 people in the noise contour areas of five SA member airports. Commending the report, the UK Aviation Minister, Baroness Sugg, said sustainable growth was one of the key objectives of the government's long-term strategy for UK aviation. Read more ...
|
Dutch government urged by airlines to drop tax proposals as NGOs take it to court over ICAO aircraft CO2 standard
Thu 14 Dec 2017 - Eight years after ditching an air passenger 'eco' tax introduced a year earlier, the Dutch government is reportedly planning new aviation taxation measures to address the sector's environmental impact. International airline associations have written to the Dutch finance minister urging the government not to proceed with the policy. They believe the government envisages a Europe-wide aviation tax resulting from negotiations due in 2019 over the Paris climate objectives and a tax on noisy and polluting aircraft. If the two measures are deemed insufficient then an aviation passenger tax may be introduced in the Netherlands from 2021, they fear. Meanwhile, the government is being taken to court by three NGOs for refusing to release ICAO documents on the global aircraft CO2 standard adopted by the UN agency in March this year. Read more ...
|
ICAO opens consultation with States on proposed rules for CORSIA implementation
Thu 7 Dec 2017 - ICAO's proposed rules for States and aeroplane operators on the administration; monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of CO2 emissions; carbon offsetting requirements; and emissions units under the CORSIA scheme have been circulated to the UN agency's 192 member States for comment. The so-called CORSIA Package is made up of Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and related guidance material. The 128-page document sent by the ICAO Secretary General to States on Tuesday contains a proposal for a first edition of a new Volume IV (CORSIA) to Annex 16 (Environmental Protection) of the Chicago Convention to apply from 1 January 2019. It also includes draft Implementation Elements and supporting documents. States have been requested to forward their comments on the proposals to ICAO by 5 March 2018, an unusually short consultation period. Read more ...
|
Environmental groups criticise ICAO over lack of CORSIA transparency and threat to biofuel sustainability criteria
Fri 18 Nov 2017 - ICAO has come under fire from two environmental groups over a perceived lack of transparency on decisions concerning its CORSIA global carbon offsetting scheme and fears that sustainability criteria for the use of biofuels qualifying under the scheme are being heavily watered down. ICAO's governing Council has been meeting to discuss detailed regulations on the operation of the scheme that have been drawn up by its technical committee CAEP. However, CAEP confidentiality rules and the closed-door Council sessions are allowing ICAO to develop climate policy in isolation and this risks undermining the Paris Agreement, argues Carbon Market Watch. Meanwhile, Transport & Environment says it understands political interventions in the Council could lead to the removal of 10 out of the 12 sustainability criteria for biofuels recommended by CAEP. The CORSIA Package, as it is known, is due to be sent shortly to all ICAO states for scrutiny and approval. Read more ...
|
Eight airlines join 'Fly Green Day' to use Gevo's alcohol-to-jet fuel on flights out of Chicago
Fri 10 Nov 2017 - Eight airlines have flown from Chicago O'Hare International Airport using a jet fuel blend containing Gevo's alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) renewable fuel derived from bio-isobutanol. Blended and supplied by Air BP, the fuel was made available using the airport's existing fuelling infrastructure, such as pipelines, terminals and tankage. This was the first time blended fuel had been supplied to airline customers through the main fuel hydrant system. The airlines - Lufthansa, United Airlines, Etihad, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Japan Airlines, Korean Air and Atlas Air - were participating in Fly Green Day, an event to help boost the commercialisation of sustainable aviation fuels, sponsored by the O'Hare Fuel Committee and organised by Gevo. Read more ...
|
Rocky Mountain Institute signs partnership deal with The Good Traveler carbon offsetting programme
Fri 10 Nov 2017 - The Good Traveler carbon offsetting programme is to be administered by the global non-profit Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) under a multi-year partnership. The programme is a non-profit collaboration among US airports and transportation authorities that includes San Diego International Airport, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, the Port of Seattle and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. RMI will join their Advisory Member Group to help shape future strategy of the programme, with an objective to grow the market for high-quality carbon reduction options and to cultivate new travel-based emissions-reduction projects. Read more ...
|
KLM signs agreement with Costa Rica to explore potential for sustainable biofuel flights from San Jose
Tue 7 Nov 2017 - KLM has entered into a cooperation agreement with the government of Costa Rica to research the possibility of flights out of the capital San Jose using sustainable aviation fuel. The Dutch carrier said it was the first time such an agreement had been made by an airline with a government. The two parties signed a letter of intent last week that will see KLM share its knowledge and expertise with the government in close cooperation with partner SkyNRG. The move coincided with the KLM launch after a 20-year break of a direct twice-weekly return service between San Jose and Amsterdam that will be operated by a Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner. Read more ...
|
IAG achieves highest 'A' rating in 2017 CDP climate list of global company performance
Mon 6 Nov 2017 - International Airlines Group (IAG) has achieved a coveted 'A List' status in this year's CDP ratings of leading environmental performances by the world's leading organisations. Formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project, the global disclosure system enables companies to measure and manage their environmental impact and the data is used by investors and purchasers, as well as policy-makers. The Climate A List was established in 2011 and introduced for water and forests in 2015 and 2015 respectively, with IAG one of 112 companies worldwide making the 2017 climate change A List, the only representative from the aviation sector. It was also awarded 'most improved' UK organisation in 2017. Meanwhile, Chief Executive Willie Walsh said last week IAG would take an equity investment in its new sustainable aviation fuels venture with Velocys. Read more ...
|
Provisional agreement reached to continue limiting EU ETS scope to intra-EEA flights until end of 2023
Thu 19 Oct 2017 - The EU Council Presidency and the European Parliament have reached a provisional compromise agreement that will extend the EU ETS derogation of international flights to and from Europe until the end of 2023. The Council had supported a European Commission proposal for an indefinite exemption of such flights pending a future review of ICAO's CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme, whereas Parliament had voted for the derogation to finish at the end of 2020. The derogation extension will align with the end of the initial three-year pilot phase of CORSIA. The two sides also agreed to a future review to consider a declining year-on-year cap, the so-called linear reduction factor, on aviation emissions under the EU ETS from 2021 onwards. Earlier today, a Commission official briefed Environment Committee (ENVI) MEPs on CORSIA progress. Read more ...
|
United States adopts ICAO Chapter 14 noise stringency standard for new aircraft designs
Wed 18 Oct 2017 - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has passed a rule that requires newly designed aircraft to harmonise with the ICAO Chapter 14 noise standard that came into effect in July 2014. In keeping with FAA numbering of aircraft noise standards, the new standard will be adopted as Stage 5 in the US. The agency believes the standard will ensure that the latest available noise reduction technology is incorporated into new aircraft designs. It represents an increase in stringency of 7 EPNdB relative the previous ICAO Chapter 4 standard, or Stage 4. It will apply to new larger aircraft type designs with a maximum certificated take-off weight (MTOW) of 55 tonnes submitted for certification on or after 31 December 2017. For smaller aircraft with a MTOW of less than 55 tonnes, the standard will apply on or after 31 December 2020. The standard was passed into European Union law in January 2016. Read more ...
|
Geneva Airport partners with local energy utility to install 50,000m2 of solar panels
Wed 18 Oct 2017 - Geneva Airport has entered into a contract with public energy utility Geneva Industrial Services (SIG) to install solar panels on 50,000 square metres of roof space - the equivalent of about eight football pitches. The array will produce around 7.5 GWh of electricity per year, the equivalent of the annual power consumption of 2,500 local homes. The photovoltaic solar panels will be installed on 10 roofs located around the airport, with an expected completion date of 2020. SIG will build and own the panels for 25 years and has committed 13 million Swiss francs ($13.2m) in funding for the project. The electricity produced by the facility will primarily be used to power the airport, which already boasts solar panels covering 10,000 square metres. Read more ...
|
Qantas and Virgin Australia agree to purchase renewable jet fuels from US companies
Tue 17 Oct 2017 - Qantas has announced that its flights from Los Angeles will be powered by biofuel from 2020 as a result of an off-take agreement with US bioenergy company SG Preston. The Australian airline says it will purchase 8 million gallons (30 million litres) of renewable jet fuel per year for a 10-year period. The fuel will be a 50/50 blend of conventional jet fuel and renewable fuel produced from non-food plant oils that is claimed to emit half the comparable amount of carbon emissions on a life-cycle basis. Last year, SG Preston entered into a similar off-take agreement with JetBlue in which the US carrier will purchase more than 33 million gallons of blended jet fuel per year for at least 10 years, with the renewable jet fuel portion making up 30 per cent of the total blend. Meanwhile, Qantas rival Virgin Australia has announced it will shortly start trialling the use of renewable jet fuel supplied by Gevo through Brisbane Airport’s existing fuel supply system. Read more ...
|
States agree not to set targets as ICAO unveils its long-term vision on sustainable aviation fuels deployment
Mon 16 Oct 2017 - ICAO concluded its second Conference on Aviation and Alternative Fuels (CAAF/2) held in Mexico City with an agreement on a long-term vision for the development, production and supply of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) through to 2050. Delegates from Member States, industry and environmental groups had initially been asked to support ICAO's Vision 2050 proposals for short, mid and long term goals that would ensure a 2 per cent share of SAF in international aviation fuel demand by 2025, rising to 32 per cent in 2040 and 50 per cent by 2050. However, a number of States, along with industry and NGOs, failed to back the setting of targets and the conference settled instead for wording that calls for a "significant percentage" of SAF by 2050. The aviation industry said it welcomed the emphasis on developing robust sustainability criteria as a central component of alternative aviation fuels deployment. (Updated 24 Oct 2017) Read more ...
|
Zunum Aero reveals details of its 12-seat hybrid-electric passenger aircraft that it hopes to be operational by 2022
Fri 13 Oct 2017 - US-based Zunum Aero has revealed more details of its hybrid-electric 12-seat regional aircraft that it claims will be operational by 2022. In April, Zunum announced it had received backing from Boeing HorizonX and JetBlue Technology Ventures. The aircraft is being designed to have a maximum cruise speed of 340 miles an hour and a take-off distance of 2,200 feet (670m), and the company believes it can open up fast and affordable travel for thousands of communities across the United States. It is expected to have up to 80 per cent lower emissions compared to comparable jet aircraft, and over time Zunum's quest is to eliminate emissions with an all-electric version. UK low-cost carrier easyJet recently unveiled its support for an electric regional aircraft in development by US start-up, Wright Electric. Read more ...
|
Flights in all world regions at greater risk of severe turbulence incidents as a result of climate change
Tue 10 Oct 2017 - In May, 27 passengers on board an Aeroflot flight from Moscow to Bangkok were injured when the Boeing 777 encountered clear-air turbulence. Because the plane was unable to detect the turbulence ahead, passengers had not been warned to fasten their seat belts. There is evidence that clear-air turbulence (CAT) has already risen by 40-90 per cent over Europe and North America since 1958 and studies by researchers from the universities of Reading and East Anglia in the UK have shown that as a consequence of climate change, the frequency of turbulence on flights between Europe and North America could double by 2050 and the intensity increase by 10-40 per cent. The same researchers have since extended their previous work by analysing eight geographic regions, two flight levels, five turbulence strength categories and four seasons, and found large increases in CAT. Read more ...
|
UN senior climate official calls on all governments to join CORSIA and up long-term ambitions to reduce aviation CO2
Mon 9 Oct 2017 - The participation of all countries in ICAO's global CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme is needed for it to be fully effective, a senior UNFCCC official told industry leaders at last week's Global Sustainable Aviation Summit in Geneva. Even then the sector's aspirational goal of stabilising emissions at 2020 levels would not be enough to reach the Paris climate agreement targets, said Ovais Sarmad, Deputy Executive Secretary of the UN climate change agency. However, he commended the aviation industry's 2050 reduction target and called on ICAO to up its own long-term ambitions. Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, ICAO Council President, told the conference that a steering group of ICAO's CAEP environmental committee had finalised recommendations for new CORSIA regulations and the UN aviation agency was working with the UNFCCC on eligible emissions units for the scheme. Read more ...
|
Phase out of noisiest Chapter 3 aircraft at Heathrow continues with growing use of the Dreamliner
Mon 2 Oct 2017 - The move towards using quieter aircraft by airlines at London Heathrow is gathering pace and August marked the first month without Chapter 3 aircraft, the oldest and noisiest classification. This year, the airport increased the charges to land the noisiest aircraft and operators pay on average ten times more to fly Chapter 3 planes than for the quietest aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Heathrow has promised that by 2020 no Chapter 3 aircraft should be operating at the airport. Dreamliners are now the fastest growing aircraft types at the airport, it reports, with more than 700 additional flights in June compared to last year. Heathrow's latest 'Fly Quiet and Clean' top 50 league table for the period April to June shows Air India rose 37 places to 5th as a result of switching to the Dreamliner and better track keeping. Read more ...
|
All-electric passenger aircraft could be flying on its short-haul routes within a decade, claims easyJet
Sun 1 Oct 2017 - European low-cost carrier easyJet believes commercial flights using all-electric aircraft could be possible within the next decade, with a further ambitious goal that every short-haul flight is zero-emissions within 20 years. At its Innovation Day last week, easyJet outlined its collaboration with US electric aircraft manufacturer Wright Electric, which it has been working with over the course of this year to provide an airline's perspective on a future electric-powered passenger aircraft. A prototype aircraft was unveiled with a range of 335 miles (540km), which would cover 20 per cent of passenger journeys flown by easyJet. The airline also announced it is to introduce new electric towbarless aircraft tugs for its operations at London Gatwick and is partnering with Safran to start trials shortly on hydrogen fuel cell technology to enable zero-emissions e-taxiing of its aircraft. Read more ...
|
Neste to supply its renewable jet fuel to airlines at Geneva Airport later next year
Thu 21 Sept 2017 - Renewable fuel producer Neste is to collaborate with Geneva Airport to supply its MY Renewable Jet Fuel product for aircraft operations as of late 2018. The target is for at least 1 per cent of the annual jet fuel consumption at the airport to be composed of the renewable fuel, with the annual volume expected to reach "thousands of tonnes", says Finland-headquartered Neste. The fuel will be produced at Neste's European refineries using 100 per cent waste and residue based renewable raw materials. Along with logistics stakeholders, both partners are looking at the most viable form of transporting the fuel to the airport. Neste supplied its fuel to Lufthansa for the first-ever series of regular flights between Frankfurt and Hamburg in 2011 and is involved in other Scandinavian and Dutch sustainable jet fuel initiatives. Read more ...
|
New government-backed initiative launched to create a world-leading UK sustainable aviation fuel industry
Wed 20 Sept 2017 - Following a decision by the UK government to support the development of sustainable fuels for the aviation sector, a new initiative has been formed that will bring supply chain partners together with the aim of building a world-leading sustainable aviation fuel industry in the UK. Sponsored by the Department for Transport and industry coalition group Sustainable Aviation, the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Special Interest Group (SAF SIG) will be run by the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), a government-backed programme to link business with R&D and investors. A third sponsor and network partner is Innovate UK, a government agency tasked with finding and driving science and technology innovations that will grow the national economy. Read more ...
|
British Airways embarks on new sustainable jet fuel project as UK government announces RTFO incentive
Tue 19 Sept 2017 - Following a UK government announcement on Friday that it will include sustainable jet fuel under its Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) incentive scheme, British Airways and renewable fuels technology company Velocys have confirmed they are to partner on a project to make a business case for a series of waste-to-jet fuel commercial scale plants in the UK. Velocys will lead an initial feasibility study and, subject to its findings and successful completion of the development stages, an investment decision could be made in 2019. The company believes a plant could be up and running two to three years after this. After the failed project with Solena for a facility near London that was going to produce renewable jet fuel for the airline through an offtake purchase agreement, British Airways won't comment yet on investment issues or quantify the amount of fuel involved but the first plant could produce in the region of 30,000 tonnes a year, equivalent to around 9 million US gallons. Read more ...
|
Clash looms between EU institutions on how long to stop the clock on scope of the Aviation EU ETS
Wed 13 Sept 2017 - The European Parliament voted by a clear majority today to back proposals from the European Commission to extend the derogation that restricts the scope of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) to covering flights within the European Economic Area (EEA). Agreed to enable ICAO to reach an agreement on a global carbon scheme, the derogation - known as 'Stop the Clock' - ended in 2016 and the EU institutions must reach a consensus by early next year. However, the vote signals a split between the Parliament and the Commission about how much longer the clock should be stopped. The Parliament voted to end the derogation by the end of 2020 in order to keep pressure on ICAO to finalise details on its CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme. In contrast, the Commission has proposed an open-ended derogation subject to a future review, in the belief that setting a time limit would create difficulties with the ongoing ICAO negotiating process. The Parliament also voted to further toughen EU ETS rules in the post-2020 period. Read more ...
|
Carbon offsetting can play an important role in achieving airlines' climate goals, says study, but finds low level of understanding
Fri 8 Sept 2017 - With the growth in air travel demand forecast to outstrip fuel efficiency improvements, the aviation industry's CO2 emissions goals can only be achieved through the purchase of carbon offsets. However, says a new study, there is considerable misunderstanding about offsetting and the difference between scientific and policy perspectives. Through their customer carbon offsetting schemes, airlines have already built partnerships with offset providers but it is important they correctly communicate the climate change benefits, say researchers from Griffith University in Australia. A total of 139 airlines were analysed in a study to investigate what information they provided on their role in carbon offsetting and whether the option was offered to their customers, with 44 airlines found to be actively involved. The researchers provide a number of best-practice principles to help airlines improve the reporting of their offsetting schemes. Read more ...
|
Airbus nears flight testing of breakthrough aircraft laminar wing technology that promises substantial fuel burn reduction
Mon 4 Sept 2017 - Flight testing is about to start later this month by Airbus on laminar wing technology that could reduce drag by 8 per cent and decrease fuel burn and carbon emissions by up to 5 per cent if used on future generation short-range commercial aircraft. Laminar flow - the uninterrupted flow of air over an aircraft's wing to greatly improve the aerodynamics - is considered by many aircraft designers to be aviation’s holy grail because of the potential rewards involved. As part of the EU's Clean Sky programme, Airbus and 21 partners have been working since 2008 on the BLADE (Breakthrough Laminar Aircraft Demonstrator in Europe] project, which has now reached the critical flight testing phase of an Airbus A340 testbed aircraft fitted with new outer wing sections. Airbus claims BLADE is the largest flight test demonstrator ever launched in Europe, if not the world. Read more ...
|
UK government recommits to funding support for development of advanced aviation biofuels
Mon 28 Aug 2017 - The UK government has recommitted to providing up to £22 million ($28m) towards funding for projects to develop advanced low carbon, waste-based advanced fuels for planes and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). The fund, which must be matched by industry, is expected to help deliver up to five new plants in the UK by 2021 that will produce advanced fuels to be used in aircraft and lorries where it is not yet viable to switch to electric power. The UK's Department for Transport (DfT), in association with engineering and environmental consultancy Ricardo, first launched the 'Future Fuels for Flight and Freight Competition' (F4C) in April to invite applications for the funding but stalled due to the UK general election in May. The DfT reports it has received interest from over 70 groups in bidding for the funding. The UK aviation industry has welcomed the announcement, although it sees the bigger prize as the inclusion of advanced aviation biofuels in the UK's Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), on which the government is consulting. Read more ...
|
A 30 per cent share of sustainable aviation fuel at Norway’s airports by 2030 is achievable with public funding help, finds report
Fri 25 Aug 2017 - Around 30 per cent of all jet fuel, or 400 million litres, supplied at Norwegian airports could be sustainable by 2030, finds a new report produced on behalf of the country's aviation sector. However, because of the high price premium of jet biofuel compared with its fossil equivalent, this would only be possible with the help of policy intervention and public funding. A domestic aviation biofuel market could be created either by implementing a blending requirement or through a fund to raise the necessary finance for production, which would be based on feedstocks from Norwegian forestry residues and pulpwood. The report suggests two potential funding models. Meanwhile, following the introduction of commercial jet biofuel supplies at Oslo Airport in January 2016, a first batch of biojet has been delivered to Bergen Airport in Norway by Air BP. Read more ...
|
European airports continue drive towards using renewable energy to supply terminal power and reduce emissions
Wed 23 Aug 2017 - Airport operator Royal Schiphol Group has entered into an agreement with Dutch energy company Eneco that will see Amsterdam Schiphol, Rotterdam, The Hague, Eindhoven and Lelystad airports supplied with sustainable power from next year. Eneco will provide the airport group with 200 GWh of green energy every year for 15 years from power generated by new Dutch wind farms that will supply electricity for terminals, administration buildings and runway lighting. Meanwhile, Finavia is installing solar panels at Helsinki Airport that will supply nearly 10 per cent of all electricity requirements for new terminal extensions and is also increasing the use of renewable energy at other airports in Finland through the use of bioenergy and geothermal heat. Helsinki recently became Europe's 28th airport to be certified as carbon neutral. Read more ...
|
Big shift from air to rail travel between Central Scotland and London over past decade leads to significant carbon savings
Tue 22 Aug 2017 - As a result of a rise in growth of rail's market share for trips between Central Scotland and London between 2005 and 2015 at the expense of air travel, 681,064 tonnes of carbon emissions were saved over the period, finds a study by sustainable transport campaign group Transform Scotland. Over the decade, the market share for rail journeys on routes between London and Scotland's two biggest cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow, grew from 20 per cent to 33 per cent. As a result of a £9 billion ($11.5bn) investment in infrastructure, new trains and increased frequency, growth has been particularly strong on the West Coast route linking Glasgow and London, where 332,208 tonnes of emissions were saved as a result of people switching from air to rail. The report recommends further rail investment and more government leadership in setting targets and use of the tax system to encourage further modal shift. Read more ...
|
New UK aviation strategy must address the sector's environmental impact, pledges government
Mon 24 July 2017 - The UK government has opened an eighteen-month consultation into the long-term future of aviation in the UK and has pledged that any new strategy must address the impact of the sector on local communities and the environment. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said a vision was required that looked beyond a new runway at Heathrow, and a thriving sector would be central to the UK's future prosperity in a post-Brexit world. In the wide-ranging consultation into the technological, security, environmental and passenger service challenges ahead, the government is also looking for views on possible new forms of compensation for noise or designing targets for noise reduction. Meanwhile, Heathrow Airport has announced 700 local homes most affected by aircraft noise will be offered bespoke noise insulation free of charge. Read more ...
|
Report identifies mechanisms to fund uptake and deployment of sustainable aviation fuels at Seattle-Tacoma
Fri 21 July 2017 - Although the premium has come down considerably since their introduction in 2008, the current cost of sustainable aviation fuels is still around three times higher than conventional fossil-based jet fuels and has been an important factor in their slow take-up and large-scale production. Airports such as Seattle-Tacoma International, however, are keen to supply their airline customers with a reliable and regular supply of sustainable advanced fuels as they could provide important environmental and economic benefits far into the future. Airports are at the supply-chain intersection of airlines, fuel suppliers, governments and communities, and can leverage their position in supporting scale-up. To bridge the price premium gap, the Carbon War Room and SkyNRG have worked with the Port of Seattle to produce a report to assess and recommend potential long-term funding mechanisms that could supply all airlines at the airport. Read more ...
|
Second generation transport biofuels can play a significant role in meeting UK carbon reduction targets, says report
Thu 20 July 2017 - A viable second generation liquid biofuel industry and market has a significant role in helping to meet UK long-term carbon reduction goals, particularly in sectors like aviation where alternative low-carbon options are not available. So concludes a report by the Royal Academy of Engineering commissioned by the UK's transport and energy government departments, DfT and BEIS. Aviation - along with shipping and heavy goods vehicles - should be considered a priority for the development and use of biofuels, it recommends. While there has been growth in the contribution of biofuels to road transport in the UK under the government's Renewable Fuels Transport Obligation (RTFO), although production has stagnated over the past eight years, little progress has been made in aviation and even less in shipping. An immediate priority, says the Academy, is for government to incentivise the development of second generation biofuels such as those derived from wastes and agricultural, forest and sawmill residues. Read more ...
|
Future airline and airport disruption likely as a warming climate makes it harder for aircraft to take off
Tue 18 July 2017 - Rising temperatures as a result of global climate change will make it harder over the coming decades for aircraft to take off at certain airports, finds a Columbia University study published in the journal Climatic Change. Since 1980, average global temperatures have gone up nearly 1 degree C and this may already be having an effect. Last month, American Airlines cancelled over 40 flights out of Phoenix when daytime temperatures reached nearly 120 degrees F (49 degrees C) as smaller regional aircraft are only tested up to 118 degrees F. As air warms, it spreads out and its density declines, and in thinner air, wings generate less lift as a plane races along a runway, explain the researchers. A packed plane may therefore be unable to take off safely so weight must either be dumped or the flight delayed or cancelled. Read more ...
|
ENVI MEPs back continuation of EU ETS ‘stop the clock’ until 2020 pending ICAO CORSIA outcome
Thu 13 July 2017 - Members of the European Parliament's environment committee (ENVI) have unanimously backed a proposal for continuing with the exclusion of CO2 emissions from intercontinental flights from the EU ETS, but only until 2020. The 'stop the clock' derogation, which limits the scope of the trading scheme to intra-EEA flights, automatically ended in December 2016 and requires new legislation to extend it. The issue will come before a full plenary in September, followed by trilogue talks with the Council. The derogation was agreed to allow negotiations to continue at ICAO on the global CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme to start in 2021 but ENVI MEPs want to see the final details before agreeing to yet a further extension. They also proposed the rules be tightened on aviation's participation in the EU ETS from 2021 to bring it into line with other industrial sectors. Read more ...
|
Lufthansa Group stalls on annual fuel efficiency improvement for the second year running
Tue 11 July 2017 - For the second year running, Europe's largest airline group, Lufthansa, failed to improve the overall fuel efficiency of its fleet, citing a decline in the passenger load factor by 1.4 per cent and the negative effects of "geopolitical developments" and changing passenger reservation patterns caused by strikes. The group also says new, more fuel-efficient aircraft did not arrive early enough in the reporting year to make a contribution to lowering fuel consumption. The Group's fuel efficiency averaged 3.85 litres per 100 passenger-kilometres (l/100pkm) in 2016 compared to 3.84 l/100pkm in 2015 and 2014, with fuel consumption rising 1.2 per cent in 2016, from nearly 28.2 million tonnes of CO2 to just over 28.5 million tonnes. SWISS, which flies predominantly long- and medium-haul routes, was the best performer in the Group with a specific fuel consumption of 3.44 l/100pkm. Read more ...
|
US domestic aviation emissions could increase 33-50% by 2030 as a result of Trump climate withdrawal
Tue 27 Jun 2017 - Although there has been recent speculation over the possibility of the United States not joining the voluntary phase of ICAO's CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme as a result of President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, there are other implications for global aviation emissions. Pledges made by countries under the agreement must take into account reductions in domestic aviation emissions, which are not covered by CORSIA. Globally, domestic aviation emissions make up around 38 per cent of all aviation emissions, with the US responsible for nearly a half. According to research by Manchester Metropolitan University's Centre for Aviation, Transport and the Environment (CATE), US domestic aviation emissions could rise by 33 to 50 per cent over 2005 levels if the US does not carry out its CO2 reduction plans and so heavily impact the sector's overall emissions. Read more ...
|
Virgin Atlantic sees impressive gains in fuel efficiency and an 8% fall in emissions as a result of fleet changes
Tue 27 Jun 2017 - Following a slowdown in the overall fuel efficiency of its fleet in 2015, Virgin Atlantic Airways has rebounded with an impressive 8 per cent annual improvement last year, according to the airline's latest Sustainability Report 2017. This is largely down to the positive impact of Boeing 787 aircraft entering the fleet in 2016, improved passenger load factors and other operational gains. Total CO2e aircraft emissions fell from 4.43 million tonnes in 2015 to 4.08 million tonnes in 2016, from a high of 5.22 million tonnes in 2007 when Virgin Atlantic set a target to reduce CO2 emissions by 30 per cent per revenue tonne-kilometre (RTK) by 2020. The 22 per cent reduction since 2007 is matched by a 17 per cent fall in CO2 per RTK and a 22 per cent drop in CO2 per passenger km over the past 10 years. This, says the airline, puts it well ahead of the industry's annual fuel efficiency improvement target for the period up to 2020. Read more ...
|
UK airspace improvements help NATS reduce carbon emissions but more modernisation required, it warns
Fri 23 Jun 2017 - Air navigation service provider (ANSP) NATS reports that improvements to the design of UK airspace helped save 55,900 tonnes of CO2 in 2016, worth £6.2 million ($8m) in fuel savings for airlines. In 2008, NATS became the first ANSP in the world to set an airspace environmental target and says it is currently tracking at a 5 per cent improvement on a goal to reduce air traffic management (ATM) related CO2 emissions by 10 per cent by 2020. However, warns NATS, it will become more difficult to achieve this unless further efficiencies can be delivered by modernising UK airspace. CO2 savings in the previous year were 157,000 tonnes. In its annual Responsible Business report, NATS says its campaign to increase the use of continuous descent approach (CDA) procedures by aircraft landing at UK airports resulted in an additional 32,070 quieter arrivals in 2016 over 2015. Read more ...
|
EU States back proposals on extending Aviation EU ETS 'stop-the-clock' and provisions for CORSIA review
Thu 22 Jun 2017 - EU Member States have agreed a common negotiating position ahead of talks with the European Parliament (EP) on existing regulations concerning the Aviation EU ETS and its post-2020 future when the global CORSIA market-based scheme starts. The Council, which represents the States, says it broadly supports European Commission proposals, including to extend the derogation - known as 'stop-the-clock' - for extra-EEA flights until the end of the current phase of the EU ETS in 2020. This is also supported by most EP members but as the derogation ceased to exist at the end of 2016, swift action will need to be taken to adopt a revision by the end of this year to avoid a legal gap. The two institutions must also agree on future steps to be taken in the light of decisions still to be reached at ICAO on the global scheme. A report has already been submitted by EP rapporteur Julie Girling, along with proposed amendments by members of the EP environment committee (ENVI), with a vote scheduled for July 11 and a EP plenary vote in the autumn. Read more ...
|
Heathrow adds emissions along with noise metrics to its airline performance league table
Wed 21 Jun 2017 - Heathrow Airport has extended its quarterly 'Fly Quiet League Table' to include for the first time the emissions performance as well as the noise performance of airlines serving the airport. The 50 busiest airlines at Heathrow are now publicly ranked on their efforts to reduce emissions from the aircraft they use for operations at the airport. A new metric has also been introduced that takes into account unscheduled night flights operating between 11.30pm and 4.30am. The league table has tracked airline noise performance since 2013 and is credited with incentivising airlines to use their quieter aircraft types and operating procedures at Heathrow. Based on data from January to March, British Airways short-haul, Aer Lingus and Etihad Airways were judged to be the cleanest and quietest fleets at the airport. Read more ...
|
European airport sector raises its ambition by doubling earlier pledge on carbon neutrality
Wed 14 Jun 2017 - The European airport sector has agreed to double the number of carbon-neutral airports from an original target of 50 airports by 2030 to 100. Currently, 27 airports have reached this status and at their industry's annual congress that started today, a further 26 airports in the region announced their commitment to join them. The European airport association ACI Europe first launched its Airport Carbon Accreditation programme in 2009 and since then 116 European airports have been certified at one of the four levels, with carbon neutrality the highest. The programme has now been rolled out globally across all ACI regions with 190 airports now taking part. ACI Europe also reported at its meeting the CO2 reductions for the past year from participants and announced Munich Airport had been adjudicated by the programme's independent advisory board as this year’s winner of its Eco-Innovation Award. Read more ...
|
Wildlife traffickers continue to profit from vulnerabilities in the global air transportation system, finds report
Tue 13 Jun 2017 - Illegal wildlife trafficking - the fourth largest black market in the world and worth over $20 billion annually to criminal organisations - is now widespread at airports across 114 countries, finds a report published on behalf of ROUTES, a partnership of US government agencies and representatives from transportation and conservation organisations formed to combat the practice. The high profits and low risk associated with trafficking through airports have attracted sophisticated criminal networks able to exploit the security vulnerabilities in the global air transportation system and the corruption at some airports. A ROUTES partner, IATA has become actively involved in the war against trafficking and at last weeks AGM in Cancun, 12 more airlines joined the 27 others that have signed a declaration committing the industry to tackling the illegal trade. IATA also signed an extension agreement with airports body ACI to work more closely together on the issue. Read more ...
|
High potential in North America for low-carbon jet fuels but unlikely to make impact on ICAO emissions goal
Mon 12 Jun 2017 - North America has a higher potential for the production of sustainable alternative jet fuels than other regions of the world because of its available resources but it is unlikely that switching to low-carbon fuels alone can make the necessary reductions in carbon emissions projected by ICAO to ensure the carbon-neutral growth goal after 2020, concludes a US study. Due to the high expense of alternative fuels relative to the projected low costs of offsets under the ICAO CORSIA scheme that starts in 2021 and the delayed transition from collective to individual offset responsibility, the incentive to switch is greatly reduced for an airline, particularly in the early years. The study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) says robust policy support will therefore be needed to spur alternative fuel deployment at the scale needed to make a substantial contribution to CORSIA commitments. Read more ...
|
ICAO and airlines reinforce support for CORSIA following US decision to quit Paris climate agreement
Thu 8 Jun 2017 - ICAO and the airline industry have moved to dampen fears that the Trump administration's decision to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement could damage the global CORSIA CO2 scheme. During a keynote address on Monday to the IATA Annual General Meeting in Cancun, Mexico, ICAO Council President Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu said the scheme was on track and any concerns over "recent developments" should be dispelled. IATA Director General Alexandre de Juniac described the US withdrawal as "disappointing" but said it was not a setback for CORSIA as the the two agreements were "completely separate". US airline trade body Airlines for America (A4A) said its members remained committed to both the CORSIA and ICAO aircraft CO2 standard agreements. The IATA AGM also passed a resolution calling for governments to adopt policies in support of sustainable aviation fuel deployment. Read more ...
|
Bombardier and Swedavia take sustainable jet fuel deliveries from SkyNRG and AltAir
Thu 1 Jun 2017 - SkyNRG has completed deliveries of sustainable aviation biofuels on behalf of Bombardier Business Aircraft and Swedish airport operator Swedavia. Bombardier's demonstration fleet was refuelled with a biofuel blend at the KLM Jet Center in Amsterdam while en route to the European Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition (EBACE) in Geneva. The biofuel was produced by AltAir Fuels at its California biorefinery and SkyNRG was partnered in the delivery by aviation jet fuel supplier AEG Fuels. AltAir also produced the sustainable fuel supplied by SkyNRG and Air BP to Swedavia at Gothenburg Airport. The airport operator was receiving its first volume in 2017 of the fuel through its partnership with the Fly Green Fund that enables organisations and individuals in the Nordic region to reduce their carbon footprint by flying on sustainable aviation fuel. Read more ...
|
Lufthansa Cargo picks up environmental responsibility award for fuel-saving data tool
Thu 1 Jun 2017 - Lufthansa Cargo has received the 2017 DQS German Award for Excellence in the Environmental Responsibility category for its data collection tool OMEGA that provides key information for reducing fuel consumption and carbon emissions. It was one of a number of awards made to businesses by global management systems certification body DQS for a commitment to sustainability practices. Developed by aviation software specialist Honeywell Aviaso together with Lufthansa, the Ops Monitor and Efficiency Gap Analyser (OMEGA) uses data collected during cargo flights to make future flights more fuel efficient by comparing projected, actual and optimal values. Pilots can use the analysis to best prepare for a flight and identify any deviations from the plan early on. The cargo carrier has a goal to reduce specific carbon emissions by 25 per cent by 2020 from a 2005 baseline. Read more ...
|
European airports' carbon neutrality 2030 goal passes half way point as Gatwick and Lyon reach highest level
Wed 31 May 2017 - London Gatwick and Lyon-Saint Exupery have become the latest European airports to achieve the highest carbon-neutral level of the industry's Airport Carbon Accreditation programme. This brings the total of carbon neutral airports in Europe to 27, over half way to reaching an industry goal of 50 by 2030, with four other airports in Asia and one in North America also having reached Level 3+ neutrality. Lyon initially entered the programme at the first 'Mapping' level of the programme in 2013 and has since worked its way up through the four levels. To coincide with its announcement of reaching carbon neutrality status, Gatwick has published its 'Decade of Change' report for 2016 which charts progress against 10 environmental and community-focused targets the airport has set itself for the 2010-2020 period. Read more ...
|
ICAO in race to finalise CORSIA details as it concludes latest global outreach initiative
Fri 26 May 2017 - With barely 18 months before all countries with aircraft operators undertaking international flights are required to start monitoring carbon emissions, ICAO faces a major challenge in finalising the important standards that will underpin its global CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme. While 69 States have so far agreed to participate from the beginning of the pilot phase in 2021, many more will be affected by the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) requirements of the scheme. However, the ICAO leadership is confident that the draft standards are on course to be formally adopted in a year's time, although concedes additional resources will be needed for the development and implementation of the scheme. The UN agency's environment chief, Jane Hupe, told a recent seminar in Montreal that CORSIA should not be seen as a 'carte blanche' which allowed the sector to increase its emissions unchecked and the aim was to do everything possible to reduce aviation's climate impact. Read more ...
|
New technology and operational efficiencies help easyJet reduce emissions below 80 grams per passenger/km
Tue 23 May 2017 - Fuel efficiency gains at Europe's second-largest airline easyJet have resulted in carbon emissions per passenger kilometre falling below 80 grams for the first time and are on track to be reduced by a third in 20 years, it says. The low-cost carrier attributes the milestone to improving technology and a continued long-term focus on reducing weight and improving operating efficiency. Since it began reporting on carbon emissions in 2000, easyJet's emissions have reduced from 116.2 grams to 79.98 grams - a reduction of 31 per cent. It is now targeting a further reduction to around 77 grams by 2020 as new Airbus A320neo aircraft join the fleet. Read more ...
|
Hawaiian celebrates "100 Percent Day" as it passes milestone to reduce APU usage
Tue 23 May 2017 - Hawaiian Airlines has achieved a key fuel and carbon emissions objective of having all its wide-body aircraft arriving at airports on a single day to be connected with electrical power at the gate. In the past year, the carrier has been working towards a goal of having gate power available to its entire wide-body fleet within three minutes of arrival as aircraft fly between Hawaii, 11 US cities and 10 international destinations. Through significantly reducing usage of onboard auxiliary power units (APUs) by an estimated 30 minutes a flight, Hawaiian estimates it could save around 620,000 gallons of fuel annually and cut CO2 emissions by 5,933 tonnes - roughly enough fuel to fly the airline's wide-body fleet for a day. Read more ...
|
JetBlue's carbon emissions show 8 per cent growth last year but improvement in fuel efficiency performance
Fri 5 May 2017 - Carbon emissions from operations by US carrier JetBlue amounted to just under 7.5 million tonnes in 2016, an increasing of 8.4 per cent compared to the previous year as a result of higher passenger volume that saw revenue passenger miles rise by 9.3 per cent. Also contributing to the emissions increase, says JetBlue in its latest annual sustainability report, was a change in physical operating conditions as a result of congested airspace in the Northeast region of the United States causing increased fuel burn from occasional longer taxi times at airports. While emissions increased overall, however, the airline says its greenhouse gas intensity decreased by 0.62 per cent on the previous year and 4.9 per cent since its 2008 baseline reporting year. To meet CO2 reduction targets, JetBlue has set goals to save 500,000 gallons of fuel burn per year through enhanced technology, integrating biofuel into all flight operations and transitioning its airport ground equipment to all-electric where feasible. (Updated 15 May) Read more ...
|
Singapore Airlines aims to adopt regular usage of sustainable fuels as it starts first in a series of biofuel flights
Wed 3 May 2017 - Singapore Airlines has undertaken its first sustainable biofuel flight as part of a series of 12 'green package' flights over a three-month period on the non-stop San Francisco to Singapore route. Operating its latest-generation and most fuel-efficient aircraft - the Airbus A350-900 - the airline claims the series of flights are the first in the world to combine the use of biofuels, fuel-efficient aircraft and optimised flight operations. The biofuel for the SQ31 flight is produced by AltAir Fuels from used cooking oil and supplied by SkyNRG in cooperation with North American Fuel Corporation (NAFCO), a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Aviation Oil (Singapore) and EPIC Fuels. The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is facilitating the use of the optimised flight operations and air traffic management (ATM) best practices to reduce the fuel burn and carbon emissions from the flights. Read more ...
|
LAX and Gatwick step up recycling efforts with initiatives to turn airport waste into energy
Tue 2 May 2017 - Los Angeles International (LAX) and London Gatwick airports have started recycling initiatives to turn waste into either natural gas fuel or onsite energy use. In partnership with the Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation (LASAN), LAX is beginning a 90-day pilot programme involving the collection of food waste from a targeted sample of airports restaurants and concessionaires, which will then be transported offsite for conversion into natural gas using an anaerobic digestion process. Solid and liquid organic waste that cannot be converted into methane gas will be converted into commercial-grade fertiliser. Gatwick Airport and DHL Supply Chain, meanwhile, have opened a new waste management plant, which they claim makes the airport the first in the world to turn both food and packaging waste into energy onsite. Read more ...
|
JetBlue and Boeing see exciting future in passenger hybrid-electric aircraft and invest in start-up Zunum
Fri 28 Apr 2017 - US carrier JetBlue and Boeing are to back start-up Zunum Aero, which is developing regional hybrid-electric aircraft that could be flying as early as the 2020s. Hybrid aircraft could revolutionise the regional airline market, say the partners, by bringing about cheaper, faster and more environmentally-friendly air travel between regional airports. Both Boeing and Airbus are already working on the concept themselves but the technology breakthrough is dependent on major advances in battery power, as well as aircraft and engine design. Initially, Zunum is planning a small capacity aircraft with a range of 700 miles but by 2030 it expects to be producing aircraft accommodating up to 50 passengers and capable of flying over 1,000 miles. Another US start-up, Wright Electric, also has ambitions to come up with an electric passenger aircraft within the next 10 years and is being supported by UK budget airline easyJet. Read more ...
1 opinion posted |
ACI Asia-Pacific recognises airports in the region for their environmental and carbon reduction achievements
Fri 28 Apr 2017 - The inaugural annual Green Airports Recognitions were presented during this year's ACI Asia-Pacific Regional Assembly held recently in Doha, Qatar, with Platinum recognitions going to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and Darwin International Airport. ACI Asia-Pacific stresses these are not competitive awards but are recognition of environmental projects undertaken by airports large and small in the region. The objective is to promote environmental best practice and recognise outstanding accomplishments. Understanding that different airports have different environmental priorities, each year a specific environmental aspect will be chosen as the recognition theme. This year's theme was energy management. Also during the Assembly, 11 airports in the region were presented with their Airport Carbon Accreditation certificates to recognise their initiatives and achievements in carbon reduction. Read more ...
|
Air Canada and NRC start research into biofuel impact on contrail formation from commercial flight operations
Tue 25 Apr 2017 - Five Air Canada biofuel-powered flights between Montreal and Toronto over the coming days will be trailed by a National Research Council of Canada (NRC) T-33 research jet using advanced sensing equipment to sample and test the contrail biofuel emissions from each aircraft. It is part of the Civil Aviation Alternative Fuel Contrail and Emissions Research (CAAFCER) project led by NRC that is studying the environmental benefits of biofuel use on contrails. Depending on suitable weather conditions required for the testing, the first of the flights could take place today. The sustainable biofuel has been produced by AltAir Fuels from used cooking oil and supplied by SkyNRG. NRC has already taken part in extensive trials of a NASA-led project in the United States to measure the impact of alternative fuels on contrails, details of which were recently published in the journal Nature. The results showed using biofuels could substantially decrease jet engine exhaust particles and so reduce climate-warming contrails. Read more ...
|
CORSIA aviation carbon emissions scheme must learn lessons from UN's flawed offset mechanism, says study
Tue 25 Apr 2017 - While ICAO deliberates over rules concerning what offsets should be eligible under its carbon scheme for international aviation, a study prepared for the European Commission concludes the UN's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) has fundamental flaws in terms of overall environmental integrity. An offset mechanism established under the Kyoto Protocol to contribute to GHG mitigation, the CDM will end in 2020 - just as the ICAO CORSIA scheme gets underway - and a future design is required under the successor Paris Agreement. The fundamental principle that only real, measurable and additional emission reductions are generated, has not been adequately followed in most of the projects covered by the CDM, finds the study by Oeko-Institut. Lessons should be learned and applied to other crediting mechanisms like CORSIA, it advises. NGOs, meanwhile, say ICAO runs the risk of repeating the mistakes and the aviation sector should not rely on offsetting to address aircraft emissions. Read more ...
|
Incidents of severe aircraft turbulence likely to multiply as a result of climate change, finds study
Wed 12 Apr 2017 - Incidents of severe aircraft turbulence on transatlantic routes are likely to become twice or even three times more common as a result of climate change, finds a new study from the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading in the UK. The study used supercomputer simulations of the atmosphere to calculate how wintertime transatlantic clear-air turbulence would change at an aircraft's cruising altitude of around 39,000 feet (12 km) in response to a doubling in the concentration of CO2 levels in the atmosphere, which scientists predict will occur later this century. The results show the average amount of light turbulence increasing by 59 per cent, rising to 149 per cent for severe turbulence. A significant number of injuries to passengers and crew already take place each year, as well as damage to aircraft, and the study concludes an intensification of clear-air turbulence could have important consequences for aviation. Read more ...
|
Swedish project looks to narrow the emissions reporting gap between estimated and actual flight paths
Tue 11 Apr 2017 - Until now, calculating emissions from aircraft in Sweden has assumed airlines take the straightest and shortest routes, despite this not being the usual case in real-world conditions. A collaboration involving the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), the Swedish Transport Agency and Sweden's air navigation service provider LFV is now trying to narrow the gap between estimated and actual flight paths. The project has involved FOI, a leading defence and security research institute that also studies the environmental impact of aircraft, accessing LFV's radar tracks from 2,200 domestic flights during a few weeks in 2016. By studying the radar tracks, FOI has been able to refine its calculation model and bring down the difference by around 8 per cent. LFV said the outcome could lead to lower fuel consumption and a reduced climate impact from the aviation sector. Read more ...
|
North American airports recognised for their achievements in environmental leadership
Fri 7 Apr 2017 - Miami International Airport, Indianapolis Airport Authority, Minneapolis-St Paul Metropolitan Airports Commission and Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport have been announced as this year's winners of the ACI-NA Environmental Achievement Awards. The four awards by trade association Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA) recognise outstanding achievement in the categories of Environmental Management; Environmental Mitigation; Outreach, Education and Community Involvement; and Innovative/Special Projects. A runner-up award was made to Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The awards were started in 1997 and winning airports are required to demonstrate the environmental benefit of their project and its innovative approach, effective implementation, applicability and cost-effectiveness. Meanwhile, Dallas Fort Worth has received a US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Climate Leadership Award for Organizational Leadership. Read more ...
|
Seaweed cultivation could provide a promising source of sustainable aviation biofuels, finds Norwegian report
Tue 28 Mar 2017 - Seaweed could become a promising source of biofuels for aviation if sustainably produced and economic and policy challenges can be overcome, says a report by Norwegian NGO Bellona. Seaweeds, or macroalgae, generally contain high amounts of carbohydrates (sugars) that make them highly suitable for bioethanol and biobutanol production, where the sugars are fermented. They belong to the fastest growing species in the world and growth rates far exceed those of terrestrial plants, plus the rapid growth also means they absorb significant amounts of CO2. Most importantly, they do not compete for valuable land space or fresh water during cultivation as do many crops grown for biofuels. Industrial seaweed cultivation, where it is mainly used in food production and pharmaceuticals, is largely confined to Asia whereas in Europe it is in the very early development phase. However, says the report, there is a golden opportunity to design a high-potential sustainable aviation biofuel industry effectively from scratch. Read more ...
|
Vienna Airport appeals to Austria's highest courts over ruling that a new runway would violate climate law
Fri 24 Mar 2017 - Vienna Airport has filed an appeal to Austria's highest courts over a ruling by a lower federal court that a new third runway would violate the country's climate protection laws. The airport operator, Flughafen Wien, has lodged a complaint with the Austrian Constitutional Court arguing the ruling violates its guaranteed rights and freedoms to carry on a business. It has also filed an extraordinary appeal with the Austrian Supreme Administrative Court that the ruling contained serious procedural violations, inconsistent reasoning and was materially unlawful. In its judgment handed down last month, the Federal Administrative Court ruled the positive economic benefits of the airport expansion were outweighed by the potential harm to the public interest from climate change caused by higher carbon emissions as a result of increased flights. However, the airport argues national climate protection law specifically excludes CO2 emissions from flight traffic and it is anyhow only responsible for its own CO2 emissions. Read more ...
|
NATS and IAA extend XMAN initiative to reduce Heathrow holding stacks for flights through Irish airspace
Fri 24 Mar 2017 - The air traffic management system to reduce the fuel-intensive and polluting holding stacks of aircraft arriving into London's Heathrow Airport, the busiest hub in Europe, has now been fully extended to include flights travelling through Irish airspace. First trialled by UK air navigation service provider (ANSP) NATS in 2014, the XMAN (Cross-Border Arrival Management) system aims to instruct pilots to slow down the speed of their aircraft up to 350 nautical miles from Heathrow to avoid delays and unnecessary fuel burn. NATS, which has also been collaborating with ANSPs in France and the Netherlands, says XMAN is so far delivering over 4,700 tonnes of fuel savings for airlines annually, representing nearly 15,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. It is a key concept of the Single European Sky initiative, which will require 24 airports across Europe to deploy XMAN procedures by 2024. Read more ...
|
Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia attract international interest in developing homegrown jet biofuels
Wed 22 Mar 2017 - A year after issuing a joint Request for Information (RFI) from parties interested in supporting the development and production of sustainable aviation fuel in the region, Air New Zealand and Virgin Australia say they have had strong interest both locally and from abroad. The airlines have now completed an extensive review of more than 30 responses from organisations in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe and the United States. When announcing the RFI, the airline partners said that while the aviation biofuel development was accelerating internationally, it was not the case in their region. A roadmap report published in 2011 by the Australian government science research agency CSIRO found that by 2020 a 5 per cent bio-derived jet fuel share could be possible in Australia and New Zealand, expanding to 40 per cent by 2050. Despite both airlines having engaged in a number of early alternative fuel initiatives, progress so far has been slow however. Read more ...
|
Using aviation biofuels could reduce aircraft engine pollutants and non-CO2 climate impacts, find scientists
Mon 20 Mar 2017 - Using biofuels to help power jet engines reduces particle emissions in their exhaust by as much as 50 to 70 per cent and so can help reduce contrail formations that produce climate warming effects, say research scientists led by NASA. The findings, published in the journal Nature, follow a series of flight tests undertaken in 2013 and 2014 as part of the Alternative Fuel Effects on Contrails and Cruise Emissions Study, or ACCESS, in which NASA partnered with the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the National Research Council Canada (NRC). The tests involved flying NASA's workhorse DC-8 as high as 40,000 feet while its four engines burned a 50/50 blend of conventional jet fuel mixed with camelina-derived biofuel. A trio of research aircraft took turns to fly behind the aircraft at distances ranging from 300 feet to more than 20 miles to take measurements and study contrail formation. Read more ...
|
Etihad comfortably surpasses industry target with a 2.5 per cent fuel efficiency improvement in 2016
Tue 14 Mar 2017 - Etihad Airways claims to have improved fuel efficiency across all operations by 2.5 per cent in 2016, which represented savings of nearly 190,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions, the equivalent of 1,200 flights between Abu Dhabi and London. The UAE's national airline says it is working on several key initiatives to optimise efficiency, both with the aircraft fleet itself and through external collaboration with aircraft manufacturers Boeing and Airbus. These include efforts to reduce the weight of onboard items and investing in new technology to ensure flight crews have the latest information on weather patterns to allow them to plan for optimum fuel efficiency of their aircraft during flight. Airport staff are also supporting efforts to ensure emissions reductions from using ground power instead of auxiliary power units when aircraft are at gates. Read more ...
|
CANSO encourages air navigation service providers to adopt carbon footprinting and issues a best practice guide
Mon 13 Mar 2017 - With vast communications and navigation infrastructure, and a need to operate safely and resiliently on a 24/7 basis, air navigation service providers (ANSPs) are energy intensive businesses. They therefore have a role to play both in terms of the influence they can have in reducing aircraft emissions through more efficient operations but also directly in terms of the impact of operating their facilities. To help ANSPs address their environmental performance, the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO) has published a best practice guide to carbon footprinting. Focusing mainly on the management of carbon impacts from powering buildings and the infrastructure associated with delivering operations and services, the guide aims to provide ANSPs with a framework to establish tailored programmes to measure, monitor and reduce their emissions. Read more ...
|
Heathrow sets out long-term vision of a zero carbon airport and creating a centre of sustainability excellence
Thu 9 Mar 2017 - Although we're passionate about the environment, we weren't previously punching our weight, admitted Heathrow Airport's Executive Director Expansion Emma Gilthorpe at the unveiling last week of Heathrow 2.0, a self-styled bold and ambitious long-term sustainability strategy for the airport. The UK government has signalled its support for major expansion and a third runway but there are still considerable challenges for the airport, not least over environmental and climate change concerns. Goals set out in the plan include becoming carbon neutral by 2020 and a zero emissions airport by 2050; all flights serving the airport by the time of the new runway opening in the middle of the next decade to be subject to the global CORSIA carbon-neutral growth scheme; and creating a Centre of Excellence for aviation sustainability research and innovation. Read more ...
|
Unanimous adoption by ICAO Council paves way for introduction of new aircraft CO2 emissions standard
Mon 6 Mar 2017 - The ICAO Council unanimously adopted on Friday (Mar 3) the Aeroplane Carbon Dioxide Emissions Certification Standard that was recommended last year by ICAO's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP). After seven years of development, the new standard is part of the ICAO 'basket of measures' to reduce aviation emissions and is intended to encourage more fuel-efficient technologies into aeroplane design, covering propulsion, aerodynamics and structures. It has been criticised in some quarters for its lack of stringency as a result of being too heavily industry-driven, but is claimed to be the first global technology standard covering CO2 emissions for any sector. Current ICAO Annex 16 Standards include aircraft noise (Volume I) and engine emissions in respect of local air quality (Volume II), and the new CO2 standard is expected to become applicable as Volume III during the latter part of this year. Read more ...
|
ICAO negotiations on CORSIA scheme challenging, European climate chief tells EU environment ministers
Thu 2 Mar 2017 - The goal of stabilising rather than reducing emissions from international aviation through the use of international carbon credits fell below EU climate ambitions but the agreement reached at the ICAO Assembly last October on the CORSIA scheme starting in 2021 was a welcome and necessary first step on climate action for the sector, Climate Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete told EU environment ministers at a Council meeting on Wednesday. The EU's responsibility now, he said, was to make the scheme work and improve it over time, consistent with the goals agreed under the Paris Agreement. Intensive ongoing negotiations at ICAO on the rulebook and governance of the scheme were challenging, he reported. The Commission proposes a continuation of the EU ETS 'stop the clock' (STC) legislation until 2020 to allow for the discussions to continue, with further assessment needed to ensure the aviation sector contributed to EU 2030 climate targets. Canete urged the Council to swiftly reach an agreement with the European Parliament on STC. Read more ...
|
Strategic decisions on EU aviation biofuel deployment urgently required to overcome cost obstacle
Tue 28 Feb 2017 - Despite efficiency improvements and a global agreement to stabilise carbon emissions from international aviation at 2020 levels, due to rapid growth in the sector there is likely to be a gap of 232 million tonnes of CO2 between 2020 and 2030 within the EU alone. Although carbon offsetting may plug this gap, it is not a long-term solution and renewable jet fuels will be an essential element of structurally reducing these emissions but a number of obstacles need to be overcome in order to stimulate their use, says a new report. A major stumbling block is overcoming the price premium and researchers at Utrecht University and the Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) estimate that replacing five per cent of all regular aviation fuel by 2030 will cost upwards of €10 billion ($10.6bn). Their report looks at the pre-conditions for the ramp-up of biofuels for aviation in the EU and conclude that rapid strategic decisions are required to realise the required significant long-term emissions reductions. Read more ...
|
Early promise of green aircraft taxiing solutions has yet to materialise although progress on regulatory approvals
Fri 24 Feb 2017 - It is estimated around 18 million tonnes of CO2 are emitted annually during aircraft taxiing operations and efforts other than reduced engine taxiing have been ongoing for over a decade to find alternative, innovative solutions to save fuel, time and emissions. However, those efforts have had mixed results. A Honeywell/Safran EGTS joint venture was abandoned last year. A similar joint venture involving L-3 and Crane Aerospace, called GreenTaxi, also disappeared off the radar. This has left just two mainstream solutions: the WheelTug nose wheel electric drive system that propels a narrowbody aircraft from the stand to the runway, and IAI's TaxiBot semi-robotic pilot-controlled vehicle. However, this has not dented the enthusiasm of IATA in seeing the potential fuel and emissions saving benefits of autonomous taxiing and has announced it will hold its second E-Taxiing conference in Singapore in May. Read more ...
|
San Diego International seeks interested parties for its expanding carbon offset air traveller programme
Thu 23 Feb 2017 - San Diego International Airport has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) from parties interested in the supply of carbon offsets and the operation of its The Good Traveler programme. Launched in September 2015, the programme had offset around 11.5 million air miles by December 2016 as a result of passengers purchasing credits for offsetting the carbon emissions of their trips. Travellers can either purchase credits from The Good Traveler website or from retail outlets and works on a simple basis of a payment of $2 for every 1,000 miles flown. The programme has now been taken up by Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, and is looking to extend its reach to the corporate and events markets. Read more ...
|
MPs say the UK government is not doing enough to mitigate environmental impacts of an expanded Heathrow
Thu 23 Feb 2017 - A cross-party committee of MPs has criticised the UK government for not doing enough to show how an expanded Heathrow Airport can operate within environmental legal limits and climate targets. With London already in breach of EU air quality rules for 2017, a report by the Environmental Audit Committee says a new strategy is required to ensure that expansion is not granted at the expense of public health. It also accuses the government of providing a lack of detail on carbon emissions limits, with figures used for the costs and benefits of expansion being based, say the MPs, on a hypothetical international framework to reduce emissions that does not yet exist. They call for an independently scrutinised strategy to reduce carbon emissions from international aviation and say it is imperative the UK remains within the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) after Brexit. Noise measures lack ambition, they argue, and if the government plans to rely on technical improvements to reduce noise impacts then it must provide the aviation industry with support. Read more ...
|
Austrian federal court rejects Vienna Airport's third runway plans on climate protection grounds
Tue 21 Feb 2017 - Austria's Federal Administrative Court has ruled plans for a new third runway at Vienna International Airport should be rejected on climate change grounds, and that the positive economic benefits of the airport expansion were outweighed by the potential harm to the public interest caused by higher carbon emissions. Plans for the runway were first submitted back in 2007 and had been approved by the Lower Austrian regional government. In its 128-page decision, the court found the increase in aviation CO2 emissions from an extra runway was at odds with the country's 2020 transport sector reduction target. Vienna Airport's operator said a third runway was of vital importance to its economic future and described the decision as "legally and objectively untenable and false". It now intends to file an extraordinary appeal with the Austrian Supreme Administrative Court and pledged to "continue to vigorously pursue this project." Read more ...
|
Government policy action is key to the large-scale deployment of aviation biofuels, hears ICAO seminar
Fri 17 Feb 2017 - Although sustainable alternative fuels are key to meeting the aviation sector's long-term emissions goals, supportive government policies are required to bring these fuels to global deployment. This was a central theme of last week's ICAO Seminar on Alternative Fuels in Montreal that brought together a range of stakeholders including biofuel producers, regulators, the airline and aerospace sectors, and government representatives. The seminar was a precursor to a high-level ICAO Conference on Alternative Fuels to be held in Mexico City next October in which States will convene to devise strategies for developing commercial-scale supplies of sustainable jet fuels. Speakers at the seminar said policy efforts were required to reduce financial risk, ensure a level playing field with other transport sectors and create public-private partnerships. The seminar was also a chance for biofuel producers and airlines to provide updates on alternative fuel projects. Read more ...
|
European Parliament votes for reforms to the EU ETS from 2020 that would tighten aviation emissions cap
Wed 15 Feb 2017 – The European Parliament has voted to increase the ambition of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for the next phase of the scheme starting in 2021, which includes tightening the emissions cap of the aviation sector. The sector should expect to receive 10 per cent fewer allowances than its 2014-2016 average, say MEPs. Trilogue negotiations on the overall EU ETS reform package will now take place with the EU Council, which represents Member States, and the European Commission before a final decision is taken. Green lobby group Transport & Environment (T&E) welcomed the decision by MEPs as evidence that aircraft emissions will in future be treated on a par with other industries covered by the EU ETS. European airlines made clear their opposition last week to the sector's continued inclusion in the EU scheme once the ICAO global CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme starts in 2021. Read more ...
|
European airlines seek speedy EU agreement and clarity on the future of EU ETS legislation
Fri 10 Feb 2017 - European airline leaders welcomed last week's proposal from the European Commission to continue with the 'stop the clock' scope of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) until 2020 and urged EU legislators to apply the required new regulations as soon as possible. Speaking at the inaugural Airlines for Europe (A4E) Aviation Summit in Brussels on Wednesday, Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said A4E members expected the ICAO CORSIA carbon offsetting scheme to replace the EU ETS from 2021 and called for a smooth transition between the two. However, German Green MEP Michael Cramer said during a panel session at the conference that it was likely the European Parliament would vote to continue with the EU ETS alongside CORSIA, raising the prospect of European airlines having to comply with two carbon schemes. Meanwhile, the Pope has described the buying of carbon offsets to compensate for air travel as hypocritical. Read more ...
|
Swedish regional airline BRA undertakes first biofuel flight of a turboprop ATR 72-600
Tue 7 Feb 2017 - Swedish carrier BRA, formerly Braathens Regional, has carried out a commercial flight using a blended biofuel sourced from used cooking oil, marking a first for both the airline and turboprop aircraft manufacturer ATR. The ATR 72-600 flew from Stockholm's city airport Bromma to Umea in northern Sweden, a flight distance of around 500 kilometres. With Swedish forests covering over half the country, there are several national research and development projects currently underway to produce sustainable biofuels from forestry residues in the near future. BRA said the flight was an initiative to show its commitment to the environment, while ATR pointed to the environmental performance of the ATR 72-600 and its lowest fuel consumption per seat in its aircraft category. Read more ...
|
European Commission proposes intra-European flights should remain covered by EU ETS pending ICAO progress
Fri 3 Feb 2017 - The European Commission has proposed that a continuation of the 'stop the clock' intra-EEA scope of the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for aviation would be the most suitable option to address the period 2017-2020. The 'stop the clock' legislation automatically ended on 31 December 2016 pending the outcome of ICAO negotiations on a global market-based measure, and revised legislation is now required. Since ICAO States agreed at their Assembly in October to implement the phased Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA), debate has centred around what the EU should do with its own scheme both before and after CORSIA starts in 2021. The Commission says it would be premature to take a decision on the post-2020 regime at this stage while there were still outstanding uncertainties affecting the implementation of CORSIA. Read more ...
1 opinion posted |
UK government opens consultations on Heathrow Airport expansion and airspace modernisation
Fri 3 Feb 2017 - The UK government has published a draft Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) that lays down the planning and decision-making framework for a third runway at Heathrow Airport and has opened it to a 16-week public consultation. The draft NPS sets out the measures that Heathrow will have to comply in order to get development consent for the airport expansion. These include noise insulation measures for homes and schools, above market value compensation for home owners having to make way for the new runway, mitigation of noise impacts and a commitment to no increase in airport-related road traffic. However, the NPS has been criticised by environmental groups for a lack of detail on how an expansion of air traffic sits with the UK’s climate change targets. The government has also announced separate proposals and a consultation on modernising UK airspace and managing aircraft noise. They include setting up an independent aviation noise commission. Read more ...
|
Aviation must continue to be included in the EU ETS post-2020, says influential European Parliament lawmaker
Thu 2 Feb 2017 - International flights between Europe and major aviation countries that do not participate in ICAO’s CORSIA global carbon offset scheme from the start in 2021 should be covered by the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS), said the European Parliament's top lawmaker on aviation carbon policy. Peter Liese, former rapporteur on the inclusion of aviation into the EU ETS and environment spokesperson for the Parliament's biggest political group, indicated this could include flights between Europe and countries such as India and Russia, which have said they do not intend to join CORSIA until the mandatory phase commences in 2027. Liese also fully expects all flights within Europe to continue to be included in the EU ETS post-2020 under more stringent emission reduction targets than currently. Tomorrow, the European Commission is due to present proposals on the future direction of aviation's inclusion in the scheme as new legislation is required from 2017 if it is not to automatically revert to its full original scope. Read more ...
|
United commits to a lower carbon footprint during the coming year than its American and Delta rivals
Mon 30 Jan 2017 - United Airlines has pledged it will have a lower gross carbon footprint this year than its two main US rivals, Delta and American, as part of its 2017 Global Performance Commitment to corporate account customers. If the airline fails to meet the target then it will compensate eligible accounts in the form of United Services Funds, which can be used for certain waivers and amenities such as upgrades. The commitment comes as United was named Eco-Airline of the Year by Air Transport World (ATW) magazine for its environmental leadership. The award recognises the carrier's multiple initiatives over recent years, including becoming the first US airline to begin using commercial-scale volumes of sustainable aviation biofuel on regular scheduled flights from its Los Angeles (LAX) hub and its investment in alternative fuels producer Fulcrum BioEnergy. Read more ...
|
Airport operator Fraport joins global elite of the world's 100 most sustainable large corporations
Fri 27 Jan 2017 - Fraport, the owner and operator of Frankfurt Airport, has been recognised as one of the world's top 100 most sustainable companies in the annual Global 100 index compiled by media and research firm Corporate Knights. This is the first time an airport has been included in the index, which started in 2005 and measures 14 key performance indicators (KPIs) across companies with a market capitalisation of over $2 billion. Nearly 5,000 companies from around the world were evaluated for their economic, environmental and social performance. Fraport, ranked 96th in the index and the only company represented from the transportation infrastructure sector classification, scored an overall 51.89 per cent, compared to a score of 73.10 per cent achieved by the 2017 index leader Siemens. The airport operator maintained its rating on a number of other sustainability indexes during 2016. Read more ...
|
Record additions of new aircraft fail to help Emirates improve fuel efficiency of its passenger operations
Tue 24 Jan 2017 - Longer flight paths to avoid regional trouble-spots, along with a drop-off in load factors, are blamed by Gulf carrier Emirates for failing to improve the fuel efficiency of its passenger operations for the second year in a row. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions grew 12.8 per cent in the year 2015-16, outstripping the 11 per cent growth in capacity with the introduction of new routes, higher frequencies and increased capacity with larger aircraft on a number of existing routes, according to Emirates' latest environmental report. Despite bringing down the average age of the fleet from 75 months to 74 as a result of adding 29 new aircraft, passenger fuel efficiency reached 4.20 litres per 100 passenger kilometres, compared with 3.99 L/100 PK in 2014-15. As in the previous year, however, the fuel efficiency of Emirates' freighter operations managed to improve fuel efficiency performance. Read more ...
|
Growth in UK aviation has been delivered without any increase in carbon emissions, finds airline industry report
Fri 20 Jan 2017 - Although carrying 20 million more passengers than 10 years ago, this growth has been achieved without an increase in carbon emissions, claims a new report from Airlines UK, the trade body representing UK-registered airlines. It cites government data showing that in 2015, jet fuel deliveries to UK airports - for both UK and non-UK airline operations - were 10 per cent lower than in 2006. By investing in more than 470 new aircraft since 2005, at a cost of £37 billion ($45bn), UK airlines had helped the industry to reduce its carbon emissions by 20 million tonnes, it says. The report seeks to set out how future UK demand for air travel can be met while ensuring the sector limits its environmental impact and hits emission reduction targets. It also calls on government to support these efforts with favourable policy decisions. Read more ...
|
Feasibility study identifies sites to support supply of up to 50 million gallons per year of aviation biofuel to Sea-Tac Airport
Thu 19 Jan 2017 - A first-of-its-kind study has identified the best infrastructure options for delivering blended sustainable aviation biofuel to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac). Commissioned by the Port of Seattle, Boeing and Alaska Airlines, the study evaluated more than 30 sites around Washington State that could potentially support the receipt, blending, storage and delivery infrastructure required to supply Sea-Tac with up to five million gallons per year of biofuel in the short term (12-18 months) and 50 million gallons per year in the long term (two to 10 years). An aviation biofuel production plant was not considered in this study but will be an important next step once a long-term biofuel source is identified, say the partners. Sea-Tac has a goal to power every flight departing the airport with biofuel. Read more ...
|
Gatwick Airport joins global renewable electricity alliance and expects to reach carbon neutrality shortly
Thu 19 Jan 2017 - London Gatwick has become the first airport to join the RE100 global alliance that commits businesses to using 100 per cent renewable electricity. It joins over 80 of the world's most influential companies that cover sectors such as IT, telecoms, retail, food and banking. With the private sector accounting for around half of the world's electricity consumption, switching demand to renewables will accelerate the transformation of the global energy market and aid the transition to a low-carbon economy, says the initiative. The 87 companies in the alliance create enough renewable electricity demand to power Holland each year. Gatwick has already been purchasing 100 per cent renewable electricity since 2013, a key factor in its efforts to becoming carbon neutral. Meanwhile, Athens International has become the first Greek airport to become carbon neutral, raising the number of airports worldwide to achieve this status to 28. Read more ...
|
Aviation impacts on local air quality addressed in new report from UK industry group Sustainable Aviation
Wed 18 Jan 2017 - Air quality in urban areas has become an increasingly contentious issue in the UK and arguments over expansion of air traffic capacity around London have centred on concerns over potential rising levels of local airborne pollutants. Industry group Sustainable Aviation (SA) has now published a paper on air quality at and around UK airports, and what the sector is doing to mitigate impacts. The group says aviation's contribution to overall UK emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) is very small but acknowledges air quality levels around some airports exceed health-based target levels. Air quality is therefore a key priority for both government and the industry, maintains SA, and its paper lays out a range of initiatives being taken to reduce NOx and PM emissions, and suggests a number of areas where the right policy support could enable further reductions. Read more ...
|
Latest atmosfair airline CO2 efficiency rankings show global air traffic growing at twice the rate of emissions
Fri 13 Jan 2017 - An analysis by German climate protection organisation atmosfair of 32 million flights in 2014, covering 92 per cent of global aviation traffic, shows CO2 emissions increased by 3 per cent over the previous year, about half the rate of their traffic volume growth. The annual atmosfair Airline Index (AAI) compares airline emissions by city pairs of more than 200 airlines worldwide from a range of respected independent data sources and evaluates and ranks those airlines by their respective CO2 efficiency. It finds those airlines investing in new aircraft models with high seating configurations and load factors performed best in improving their carbon efficiency. As to be expected, regional and leisure airlines headed the AAI table, with a Chinese airline, China West Air, achieving the highest ranking. China is now catching up with the EU in terms of efficiency, says atmosfair, with 10 airlines, compared to 16 from Europe, in the top 50. Read more ...
|
Commercialisation of ATJ fuels gets boost with funding from the US DOE to develop two demo facilities
Thu 12 Jan 2017 - The commercialisation of alcohol-to-jet (ATJ) fuel in the United States has taken a step forward with awards from the Department of Energy's (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) towards the development of two demonstration-scale facilities. As part of the DOE's first-phase federal funding of six projects in total, LanzaTech will receive $4 million to design and plan a demo facility using industrial off gases to produce low-carbon jet and diesel fuels. The second award of $3.7 million has been made to Georgia-based AVAPCO to help develop a demo-scale integrated biorefinery that combines the company's biomass-to-ethanol process with project partner Byogy's ATJ technology to produce renewable jet fuel from woody biomass. The two projects are expected to match at least half of the DOE funding and, depending on their progress, continuation to the second phase could each attract further funding of up to $45 million in fiscal year 2018 towards construction of the facilities. Read more ...
|
Swedavia takes first delivery of jet biofuel purchased through the Nordic Fly Green Fund initiative
Wed 11 Jan 2017 - Swedish airport operator Swedavia has become the first company to purchase jet biofuel through the Nordic Fly Green Fund initiative, which aims to provide finance to assist in the development of large-scale jet biofuel production and usage in the region. Swedavia took delivery of 450 tonnes of biofuel, costing SEK7.5 million ($825,000), just before the New Year and corresponds to the amount of fuel used for the company's business travel in 2016. The fuel was used on a Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) flight from Stockholm Arlanda to Copenhagen on January 5 and marked another step in being the first time jet biofuel has been supplied to an aircraft through the airport's regular fuel logistics infrastructure. Swedavia said its investment in the fuel would help both promote domestic production and achieve the ambition of making Swedish domestic air travel fossil-free by 2030. Read more ...
|
|
|
