| Carbon emissions from European flights fell by 57 per cent last year compared to 2019, says Eurocontrol
Fri 29 Jan 2021 - According to data compiled by Europe's air navigation agency Eurocontrol, the exceptional decline in 2020 air traffic due to the Covid pandemic travel restrictions led to an overall fall in CO2 emissions from flights across Europe of 56.9 per cent last year compared to 2019. Using the global standard of assigning CO2 emissions to the country of departure, the decline was a similar 54.5 per cent. The data shows a considerable variation between countries in their CO2 reductions, which was driven by differences in the local fleet (lighter or heavier, younger or older aircraft), flight distances (short or long haul), mix of market segments (cargo, scheduled and business aviation) and by the extent of Covid restrictions on flights. For example, departing flights from Belgium were down by around half in 2020 but CO2 emissions were only reduced by 30%. In a new set of traffic scenarios for the period up to June 2021, Eurocontrol expects air traffic to be around 64 per cent down in January 2021 compared to January 2019 and says the situation is quickly deteriorating as many countries across Europe are imposing stricter travel controls in response to the latest waves of Covid and risks associated with new variants. Read more ...
|
UK opens consultation on implementing CORSIA and policy options for interaction with UK ETS
Wed 27 Jan 2021 - As the UK prepares to adopt ICAO's CORSIA regulations into domestic law, the Department for Transport (DfT) has opened a consultation on its proposed approach for implementing and administering the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of aviation CO2 emissions from this year. The consultation also considers policy options for interaction between CORSIA and with the UK leaving the EU ETS post-Brexit, a new UK Emissions Trading Scheme that also starts in 2021. The government's preferred option is a supply-adjusted' hybrid scheme in which aeroplane operators would be entitled to claim a reduction in their UK ETS obligations equivalent to their CORSIA CO2 offsetting obligations on flights from the UK to EEA States covered by the EU ETS. In this option, for every tonne of CO2 that is removed from the UK ETS obligations of an operator due to CORSIA, a tonne of CO2 in UK ETS allowances would also be retired from the system. This would be more environmentally stringent than a simple hybrid approach and would be fully compliant with the CORSIA regulations, believes the DfT. The six-week consultation runs until February 28. Read more ...
|
Boeing commits to ensuring its aircraft can fly on 100 per cent SAF by 2030
Tue 26 Jan 2021 - In order to meet the aviation industry's long-term carbon reduction goals, Boeing believes it will be necessary to raise the limit on what percentage sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) can be blended with conventional jet kerosene. The US aircraft manufacturer has therefore set a goal that commits its commercial airplanes to being capable and certified to fly on 100 per cent SAF by 2030. At present, blends are permitted up to a maximum of 50 per cent, with fuels from some technology pathways less than that, under ASTM standards agreed by regulatory, fuel and aviation industry experts. Boeing said it will determine what changes are required to its current and future airplanes to enable them to fly on 100 per cent sustainable fuels, and to work with regulators, engine companies and other stakeholders to ensure commercial aircraft operators can fly entirely on sustainable jet fuels. Read more ...
|
Shell pulls out of Velocys/British Airways project to build the UK’s first commercial SAF production plant
Wed 20 Jan 2021 - Shell has pulled its support for the Velocys/British Airways Altalto project, which plans to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from municipal waste in a new plant due to be constructed at Immingham in north-east England. The oil major, which was supplying commercial and technical expertise to the project, did not reveal reasons for the withdrawal but said it would be focusing elsewhere to leverage its own technology on other low-carbon initiatives. Under a joint development agreement, from which it has now withdrawn, Shell had an option to take a one-third share in the equity capital of Altalto. Velocys, a specialist in compact reactors used to produce sustainable fuels from wastes and residues and the lead in the project, said the move was by mutual consent and would have no impact on the existing development plan or funding for the plant. Read more ...
|
SkyNRG and LanzaTech form consortium to build Europe's first alcohol-to-jet fuel production facility
Tue 19 Jan 2021 - A consortium led by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supplier SkyNRG, with LanzaTech as the technology provider, is to build Europe's first LanzaJet alcohol-to-jet (AtJ) facility. The pre-commercial production plant will convert waste-based ethanol to 30,000 tonnes - about 37 million litres - of SAF per year and is expected to pave the way for extended commercial production capability across Europe and globally. Other partners in the FLITE (Fuel via Low Carbon Integrated Technology from Ethanol) consortium include Europe’s largest applied research organisation, Fraunhofer; energy and sustainability strategy consultancy E4tech; and standards body the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB). The project has received €20 million ($24m) in grant funding from the EU's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. The facility is expected to be fully operational in 2024. Read more ...
|
European airlines and NGOs reach consensus over sustainability and production of future aviation fuels
Thu 14 Jan 2021 - Representatives from the European aviation sector and environmental groups, together with a research organisation and a sustainable aviation fuel supplier, have come together to provide recommendations to EU policymakers on sustainability aspects and support for future aviation fuels. Convened by two climate-based philanthropic bodies, the guiding principles drawn up by the 12 participants in the Fuelling Flight Initiative are based on a shared vision that ramping up sustainable aviation fuels in Europe needs to be done in the right manner from the start. Endorsing the initiative include Air France, Deutsche Post DHL, easyJet, KLM, International Airlines Group, Schiphol Group, Transport & Environment, WWF and SkyNRG. The move comes as EU regulators consult on revisions to the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) to bring it in line with the ambitions of the European Green Deal and the net-zero by 2050 goal. Read more ...
|
IAG's Carrie Harris appointed to newly-created Head of Sustainability role at British Airways
Fri 11 Dec 2020 - Carrie Harris has been appointed British Airways' Head of Sustainability, a new position reflecting the increasing importance of sustainability to the airline, it says. Reporting to the Director of External Communications & Sustainability, Louise Evans, Harris will be responsible for a team of eight who work on the airline's strategy for environment, diversity, inclusion and wellbeing, and community investment. She was formerly with parent company International Airlines Group (IAG) where she served as Group Sustainability Manager for the past five years, with previous experience in sustainability and environment roles at UK air navigation services provider NATS and London Heathrow Airport. Harris helped launch IAG's Flightpath Net Zero initiative that committed the Group to achieving net zero by 2050, a global first for an airline group. Read more ...
|
|
|
|
