Tuesday, 10 December 2013
Sustainable Aviation – Part 1
The Usual Suspects
In October, Boeing and South African Airways (SAA) announced
that they will develop and implement the continent’s first sustainable biofuel
supply chain for the aviation industry. A few months earlier, the SAA was
awarded IATA’s Stage One status for environmentally responsible practices. Sustainability
is, of course, a hot topic and this exciting news prompted AFA to investigate.
Sustainable development is defined as “an organising principle
for human life on a finite planet”. It imagines a desirable future state for
human societies in which living conditions and resource-use meet human needs
without undermining the sustainability of natural systems and the environment,
so that future generations may also meet their needs in turn.
In this article, we look at four ways in which the global
aviation industry is working towards achieving this goal: Fuel, Engineering,
Management and Carbon Offsets.
Fuel
Massive investments are being made in the development of
biofuels for aviation. The rationale behind this is not only that these fuels
are cleaner; but that they are made of renewable resources (plants) and not
limited resources (fossil fuels). On top of that, the crops draw carbon from
the air as they grow, thereby helping to offset the carbon produced by burning
the fuel.
Would you like fries with that?Since March 2013, KLM’s weekly Flight KL642, (operated by a Boeing 777-200), has completed the flight from New York’s JFK Airport to Amsterdam’s Schiphol fuelled by recycled cooking oil. As many as 200 of the carrier’s short hop flights are also powered by a 50/50 blend of kerosene and recycled cooking oil.
Another positive effect of biofuel is that it will allow the
extensive introduction of regionally-sourced renewable energy close to
airports. In this way, local infrastructure will be developed and supported
too.
Not everyone is sold on biofuels though. Critics point out
that the demand for fuel could impact biodiversity, food and water supplies, as
well as local development. This means that careful monitoring to ensure
compliance with sustainability principles will be essential.
Engineering
Regardless of which side of the global warming debate you
stand on, engineering that improves fuel efficiency makes sense. Better
machines that use less fuel are more cost effective to run. Fleet renewal, wing
improvements and improved maintenance all contribute to this end. KLM reports
that it is aiding the research of the Delft University of Technology’s
development of an aircraft that is 50% more efficient and 50% quieter.
Management
Another factor that will yield indisputable benefits is aviation
management: from air traffic control to flight optimisation. Although more
direct routes and less idling time on the runway may yield limited gains in
terms of carbon emissions, the passengers are sure to appreciate the effort put
into these measures. AirBus asserted that its on-board Air Traffic Management
system could save more than 500 million hours of excess flight time annually.
Based on a calculation of 30 million flights per year, every flight in the
world could be an average of 13 minutes shorter. The company’s Smarter Skies
initiative include such strategies as formation flying to reduce drag and
improve efficiency.
Carbon Offsets
Purchasing carbon offsets has become a popular way for air
travel passengers to neutralise the carbon emissions they are responsible for.
While the concept has come under fire as a feel-good illusion, the funds may
achieve some good if they are administered well. KLM, for example, invests only
in projects that meet the World Wide Fund for Nature’s “Gold Standard”.
In Part 2 of Sustainable Aviation, we'll be looking at more holistic and less conventional ways in which the aviation industry is working towards sustainability. Watch this space!
Friday, 6 December 2013
Wednesday, 4 December 2013
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