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Air travel, which is and will be increasingly influenced by environmental considerations, has benefited society in many ways. At a human level it has proven to be an ideal means to connect remote areas of the world, which would otherwise have more limited possibilities for economic development. For example, air transport helps sustain 6.7 million direct tourism jobs around the world and enables the swift delivery of humanitarian aid, anywhere on earth, in a fraction of the time required for land or sea transportation.
Air transportation is a powerful tool in an increasingly unified world, providing massive economic benefits. Crucially, it is helping in the transition, both economically and socially, of key emerging markets and economies like China and India, raising standards of living and providing a tool by which growth can be sustained.
It is estimated that aviation contributes, directly and indirectly, to some 8% of world Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generates 29 million jobs and is responsible for the transport of 40%, by value, of all inter-regional exported goods. Yet in Europe alone, air transport is responsible for just 1% of the land used for transportation, in comparison to 4% for rail and 83% for road.
As with all human activity there is an environmental impact. Aviation is widely understood to be responsible for 2% of worldwide man-made CO2 emissions, with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (UN IPCC) estimating that this could rise to 3% by 2050. The IPCC provides a comprehensive, objective, open and transparent assessment of climate change. Today, 80% of aviation’s greenhouse gas emissions are related to passenger flights exceeding 1,500km/900 miles for which there is no practical alternative.
Aviation’s small contribution to CO2 emissions is not a coincidence, but rather the result of a constant focus on innovation. Manufacturers must strive to reduce fuel consumption to remain competitive, but it is much more than just good business. Since the start of commercial jet services in the 1950s, aircraft, engine and other related manufacturers have been driven by a number of factors. Safety is understandably considered above all others, although the cost of aircraft operations for the airlines has been and remains a critical consideration. Much of the airlines’ and manufacturers’ focus has always been to reduce fuel costs. Today, this can account for 36% of airline operating expenses, even though manufacturers have reduced the fuel consumption by 37% per 100 passenger kilometres travelled, since 1987.
Over the last 50 years, aircraft have become increasingly efficient in terms of their individual impact on the environment throughout their entire life cycle. This continues to be driven by the demands of passengers and airlines, as well as both international and local legislation, such as the Stage/Chapter 4 noise regulations.
Today, aircraft are 20dB quieter than the closest comparable aircraft produced in the 1960s, which equates to 75% less perceived noise. Of the entire population affected by transport noise, 79% live near roads, 14% near railways and only 7% live near airports . Similarly, everyone has seen pictures or film of aircraft from that period taking off with plumes of black smoke billowing from the engines, which is not seen at the world’s airports today. In fact, today’s aircraft produce 90% less smoke or unburned hydrocarbons than aircraft of the 1970s, with a carbon monoxide (CO) reduction of more than 50%.
Furthermore, aircraft burn 70% less fuel and, therefore, emit 70% less CO2 than aircraft flying in this period. Another trend having a significant effect is improved
aircraft load factors. In other words airlines have filled their planes more efficiently, thereby effectively reducing the need for more aircraft or frequencies, together with their associated fuel burn. Since 1970, airlines have improved load factors by an average of 0.6 percentage points per year, with industry wide load factors averaging 76% in 2006. How often are cars with three or more passengers seen on roads and highways? So what is good for customers is also good for the environment. It’s more than just good business, it’s plain common sense.
The path towards zero emissions
The great efforts made in the past and the resulting environmental improvements are just the beginning. Our future must be even greener. The entire air transport industry, including Airbus’ customers, partners and suppliers believes that an acceleration of technological development and implementation is needed and is best achieved through a unified effort. Airbus is committed to using every opportunity to implement incremental improvements in environmental performance, but also to making more significant step changes that will lead to an increasingly eco-efficient industry.
Technology plays a central role in achieving Airbus’ commitment to greener aviation and to moving along the path towards zero emissions. It may be a journey that never ends, but this must be the ultimate ambition in going forward. This requires major investment in research. Airbus’ proven experience in technological innovation, its global presence and its strong relationship with partners, suppliers, authorities and governments enable the company to be an industry leader in helping society to develop an effective response to climate change, while also delivering sustainable economic growth. Airbus believes that the traditional link between further CO2 emissions and traffic growth must be changed by working on the following elements: - The management of the entire aircraft life cycle from design and manufacturing to dismantling and recycling;
- The development and application of new technologies, such as better engines, alternative fuels and fuel cells;
- The application of efficient operational procedures (fuel-efficient operations, route optimisation);
- The engineering of an efficient infrastructure (runway capacity, Air Traffic Management);
- The selection and implementation of positive economic measures.
SILENCE(R): an example of quiet progress
The European wide SILENCE(R) programme addresses noise reduction technologies for both airframe (landing gear and high lift devices) and engines.
Technology developed within the project provided the starting point from which Airbus developed the world's first full-scale zero splice nacelle intake. This patented concept for engine fan noise reduction delivers acoustic benefits without any penalties in terms of weight, cost or fuel consumption. Now in service on the A380, it enables the aircraft to offer greater operational flexibility to airlines and their passengers, while minimising the noise impact on airport communities and inside the aircraft cabin.The 2006 French Décibel d’Or for noise reducing technology was awarded to Airbus for the design and successful development of this new form of soundproofing for aircraft engines.
Four pillars for CO2 reduction
Airbus supports the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA’s) four pillars for CO2 emission reduction. - Foster the development and deployment of technology as one of the main drivers of progress. Joint solutions must be found with manufacturers and governments to enable accelerated use of new technologies, including alternative fuels, in a financially sustainable manner.
- Encourage and assist airlines in further adopting best practices to operate their aircraft as efficiently as possible. IATA’s own work on fuel-efficient operations and route optimisation has identified potential savings up to 15 million tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.
- Promote the implementation of efficient infrastructure. Constraints - whether from insufficient runway capacity or inefficient air traffic management procedures - add up to 12% to fuel inefficiencies and CO2 emissions, according to the UN IPCC.
- Avoid taxes or charges, which, although levied under an environmental banner, are punitive measures and do not improve environmental performance. Instead, positive economic measures should be preferred over punitive ones to stimulate innovation and accelerate technological research, development and deployment.
Through its products, technology, know how and partnerships, Airbus will play a leading role in the development and implementation of IATA’s four pillars for the reduction of CO2 emissions. ACARE and Clean Sky are just two examples of Airbus engagement in extensive research programmes focusing on advanced technologies, architectures and tools that will lead to step changes towards an eco-efficient aviation industry.
ACARE
The European aviation industry has set challenging environmental targets for 2020. Airbus is a leading partner in ACARE (the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe), which is committed to achieving four goals for aircraft technology by 2020: - 50% cut in CO2 emission per passenger/km
- 50% cut in perceived aircraft noise
- 80% cut in nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions
- a greener life cycle
The ACARE objectives were set voluntarily high to push all stakeholders to provide step change technologies. Challenge will also come from achieving the optimisation and balance between noise, emissions and environmental impact throughout the aircraft life cycle. The 50% cut in CO2 will be achieved from three main sources: airframe will contribute 20 to 25%, engine 15 to 20%, and aircraft operation through air traffic management 5 to 10%.
A Clean sky
Clean Sky is another ambitious initiative. Since 2005, Airbus has been leading the preparation of a new breakthrough European research programme, the Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative. Clean Sky is fully aligned with the environmental goals for reducing emissions and noise as defined by ACARE.
The scope of Clean Sky covers all aspects of the aeronautics industry, notably the development of innovative wing and rotor blade design, cleaner engines, more
efficient flight paths and design favouring renewable materials and end-of-life recycling. Clean Sky aims to go much further than standard research projects:
large-scale technology demonstrators, including flight test vehicles, will be built to test out the research results produced and validate their future application.
Clean Sky is a partnership solution that brings together major industrial companies, research institutes, universities and other organisations from the entire aeronautics industry and supply chain, including small and medium sized enterprises, with the shared goal of achieving quantum leaps in green technology development.
Fuelling ambitions...
One area of technology that is being actively investigated is the potential use of alternative fuels in the aviation industry. No game-changing alternative to burning kerosene is foreseen in the short to medium-term. However, the industry continues to study alternative fuels, which will bring improvements over time and could bring environmental objectives a step closer. As such, Airbus has committed to playing a part from these very early days of this evolving technology, working with fuel producers, engine manufacturers, airlines, airport authorities and governments. Airbus is fully engaged in various initiatives in this area worldwide.
Airbus expects that promising kerosene and bio-fuel blends will be identified by 2010 and is working towards this through support of projects such as CALIN (Carburant ALternatifs et systèmes d’INjection innovants) and ALFA-BIRD (Alternative Fuels and Biofuels for Aircraft Development). In general, however, the overall environmental benefits throughout the entire life cycle of both the aircraft and the fuel will need to be clear, with progress towards a second or third generation of biofuels possibly being the key to success in this area.
...broadening horizons
The efficient use of existing and future air traffic infrastructure is another area where gains can be made, to the benefit of both the industry and the environment.
A number of activities are ongoing today with the industry involved at all levels. SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research), launched in March 2004 by the European Union (EU), has set the political framework for actions in Europe to unlock viable growth in air transport. The optimisation of ATM and improved flight efficiency in general will cut millions of tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. The SESAR programme is expected to lead to a CO2 emission reduction of 10% in Europe, one of the world’s largest aviation markets, when it is implemented.
Meanwhile, the EU and the United States (US) stated on 18 June 2007, that they would further cut emissions from aircraft by improving air traffic control systems. Through the Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE), the European Commission and the US Federal Aviation Administration plan to rapidly introduce new emission reduction methods and technologies that would reduce greenhouse gases and noise from aircraft. This initiative will involve aircraft manufacturers, in order to help test the environmental benefits of any proposed measures.
When thinking small, or just different, is good
Fuel cells promise to be a great technology to supply low or even zero emission electrical power effectively, by combining hydrogen with oxygen and producing nothing but water in the process. Airbus has recognised the potential of this technology and researched its applications for some time. At Airbus’ site in Hamburg, a team of specialists, including both Airbus and its partners from leading fuel cell technology companies and universities, continues to evaluate different application scenarios as well as operational, safety and regulatory issues.
Nanotechnology is a field where science fiction really is beginning to meet science fact. It aims to identify and benefit from technologies at a molecular level. The areas where the aeronautical industry is investigating the potential benefits of this technology are largely centered on systems and materials. From a systems perspective, it is envisaged that microtechnology could enable the miniaturisation of devices used on aircraft, thereby yielding weight and, therefore, fuel burn and CO2 reduction benefits. There is also the possibility of using devices on the wing for example, to act locally on laminar aspects of the airflow, allowing continuous and optimal adaptation to flight conditions, once again improving the eco-efficiency of the aircraft. In terms of materials, nano-components added to a composite material could retain the beneficial mechanical properties such as stiffness and lightness, whilst adding properties typical of metallic materials such as conductivity. Nanotubes are considered one of the most promising nanotechnologies, retaining the advantages of metallic material in combination with the benefits of composites, and potentially providing Airbus aircraft with new "super-materials", another bold step towards greater eco-efficiency.
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