Aviation sector sees greener fuel as crucial to net-zero goals
Nanna Baldvinsdóttir has become used to being inundated with unsolicited calls after speaking at industry conferences. The co-founder and CE of Icelandic start-up IðunnH2 has something to offer that is in high demand across the aviation industry: plans for a commercial scale, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility. “I get cold calls afterwards,” says Baldvinsdóttir. “I am asked: how much? When?” How to secure adequate supplies of SAF — low-carbon alternatives to conventional fuels — and at what cost have become two of the biggest questions for the aviation sector as it seeks to reduce its carbon footprint. Climate change poses a commercial threat to aviation, which accounts for 2-3% of global carbon dioxide emissions. The sector’s visibility has made it a high-profile target of policymakers and environmental campaigners in recent years. “The sector needs to deliver,” says Tim Alderslade, chief executive of industry group Airlines UK. “There is no question that, if we fail to do so, governments will act to make aviation smaller.” Airlines, aircraft manufacturers and other industry stakeholders have pledged to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 through a mix of new fuel technologies, including the use of SAF and hydrogen, as well as more efficient aircraft and engines. Airbus, Europe’s aerospace and defence champion, has committed to flying a hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2035. The plane maker, along with US rival Boeing, is also exploring new aircraft designs. Meanwhile, government-backed initiatives such as the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute are researching lightweight materials and wing technology. However, breakthrough technologies, such as hydrogen- or electric-powered aircraft, are still years away from being commercially viable. In the interim, the industry is looking at other levers to cut emissions. Better air traffic management is one. In the UK, for example, industry stakeholders are forecasting a 4.7% reduction in carbon emissions through airspace changes by the middle of the century. <br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2024-05-17/general/aviation-sector-sees-greener-fuel-as-crucial-to-net-zero-goals
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Aviation sector sees greener fuel as crucial to net-zero goals
Nanna Baldvinsdóttir has become used to being inundated with unsolicited calls after speaking at industry conferences. The co-founder and CE of Icelandic start-up IðunnH2 has something to offer that is in high demand across the aviation industry: plans for a commercial scale, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production facility. “I get cold calls afterwards,” says Baldvinsdóttir. “I am asked: how much? When?” How to secure adequate supplies of SAF — low-carbon alternatives to conventional fuels — and at what cost have become two of the biggest questions for the aviation sector as it seeks to reduce its carbon footprint. Climate change poses a commercial threat to aviation, which accounts for 2-3% of global carbon dioxide emissions. The sector’s visibility has made it a high-profile target of policymakers and environmental campaigners in recent years. “The sector needs to deliver,” says Tim Alderslade, chief executive of industry group Airlines UK. “There is no question that, if we fail to do so, governments will act to make aviation smaller.” Airlines, aircraft manufacturers and other industry stakeholders have pledged to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 through a mix of new fuel technologies, including the use of SAF and hydrogen, as well as more efficient aircraft and engines. Airbus, Europe’s aerospace and defence champion, has committed to flying a hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2035. The plane maker, along with US rival Boeing, is also exploring new aircraft designs. Meanwhile, government-backed initiatives such as the UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute are researching lightweight materials and wing technology. However, breakthrough technologies, such as hydrogen- or electric-powered aircraft, are still years away from being commercially viable. In the interim, the industry is looking at other levers to cut emissions. Better air traffic management is one. In the UK, for example, industry stakeholders are forecasting a 4.7% reduction in carbon emissions through airspace changes by the middle of the century. <br/>
