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New Energy World magazine logo
New Energy World magazine logo
ISSN 2753-7757 (Online)

In flight: the future of green aviation

1/5/2024

9 min read

Feature

Small aeroplane with underwing propellors being refuelled on airport tarmac Photo: Airbus
Airbus, Avinor, SAS, Swedavia and Vattenfall agreed in January 2024 to investigate the feasibility of a hydrogen infrastructure at airports in Sweden and Norway. This artist’s impression features a hybrid liquid hydrogen-powered Airbus turbopropellor-equipped regional aeroplane to transport fewer than 100 passengers some 1,000 nautical miles. It is one of four ZeroE concept designs, alongside hybrid hydrogen turbofan (jet), fully electric fuel-cell propellor plane and the most futuristic, a blended wing body turbofan design.

Photo: Airbus

The aviation sector faces significant transformation in a bid to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Developments are underway in deployment of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), hydrogen and electric aviation. Runeel Daliah, Principal Analyst at Lux Research, presents a new report on new initiatives in the sector that aims to fly more passengers while reducing carbon footprints.

The aviation passenger count is expected to recover to pre-pandemic levels by 2025, with about four billion passengers and a potential surge to eight billion annually thereafter. However, without significant intervention, this increase would lead to a dramatic rise in CO2 emissions from 2bn t/y today to 3bn t/y, according to our report.

 

To address this vast rise in emissions, global initiatives, led by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), are aiming for net zero emissions by 2050, with a raft of measures to achieve climate neutrality.

 

To put the issue in perspective, Lux Research’s analysis uses British Airways as an example of an airline operator which has a significant global presence, with over 250 aircraft and flights to over 200 destinations worldwide. Like its counterparts, British Airways must implement strategies to meet the net zero target by 2050.

 

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