Airbus, along with other aerospace manufacturers, release statement in support of net-zero
by CM Staff
The seven CTOs say they are committed to supporting policies that increase the supply of SAF while ensuring a consistent and predictable demand through harmonised global measures.
LE BOURGET — Airbus released a statement saying they are committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions for civil aviation by 2050 and they want to highlight the importance of the production, distribution, and availability of qualified Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) needed to achieve this goal. They said that the development of fuel-efficient aircraft technologies has been a priority for the aviation industry for over 50 years and remains a priority. Greater uptake of SAF would mitigate the projected growth in aviation CO2 emissions as the customer demand for global air travel increases.
Airbus, along with six other companies, said they will work in three key areas:
- Developing advanced aircraft and propulsion technologies that enable net-zero carbon emissions while maintaining the safety and quality standards of our industry
- Implementing improvements in aircraft operations and infrastructure
- Supporting policies and measures that accelerate the availability and adoption of qualified SAF.
The seven signatories for the manufacturers are Sabine Klauke, Chief Technology Officer, Airbus; Todd Citron, Chief Technology Officer, Boeing; Bruno Stoufflet, Chief Technology Officer, Dassault Aviation; Christopher Lorence, Chief Engineer, GE Aerospace; Geoff Hunt, Senior Vice President, Engineering, Pratt & Whitney; Grazia Vittadini, Chief Technology Officer, Rolls-Royce; Eric Dalbiès, Strategy & Chief Technology Officer, Safran.
Increasing the production and utilization of SAF is a critical step for achieving the air transportation sector’s net zero CO2 emissions goal by 2050. However, the production of SAF is currently estimated at less than 0.1% of the global demand for jet fuel today. Moreover, SAF prices are typically two to five times higher than the price of conventional jet fuel. The supply is further constrained by competition for renewable fuels from other sectors that have alternative decarbonization options, such as with surface transportation and heating.
Airbus says the signatories of the agreement support government policies and initiatives that stimulate investment in production capacity, reduce costs, and encourage greater industry uptake. This includes the US Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA), which provides a blender’s tax credit. The IRA also authorizes funding to support advanced technologies and infrastructure that enable expanded SAF production and distribution capacity in the US, as well as projects to develop fuel efficient aircraft or otherwise reduce emissions from flying. Public-Private Partnerships, such as the FAA FAST Tech Program, would enhance OEM adoption, testing, and technical clearance of new emerging SAF pathways to ensure seamless insertion into the commercial fleet.
Similarly, the CTOs say they welcome the political agreement found on ReFuelEU Aviation which will provide a strong signal for the deployment of SAF in air transport, and look forward to the legislation being adopted as soon as possible. The EU needs to implement the right industrial support policies, within the Net Zero Industry Act, to accelerate the availability of SAF and synthetic kerosene at commercial scale, building on the work of the Industrial Alliance for Renewable and Low Carbon Fuels (RLCF). In addition, qualification efforts that support the development of co-processing technologies that can harness the existing capital infrastructure will accelerate the availability of SAF at commercial scale.
The seven CTOs say they are committed to supporting policies that increase the supply of SAF while ensuring a consistent and predictable demand through harmonised global measures.
