Despite the focus on reducing carbon emissions, aircraft noise remains the key environmental concern for airports Fri 18 May 2012 - An aviation policy framework was needed that addressed sustainability issues but also created headroom for UK aviation to grow, a government aviation policy official told the recent UK Airport Operators Association (AOA) Environment Conference in London. She said the government recognised that solving the noise debate, a particularly contentious issue in the south-east of England, was a difficult issue but it wanted to work with all sides to find constructive solutions. BAA Sustainability Director Matt Gorman said that the current environmental debate surrounding aviation was focused on climate change but noise remained the key issue for airports. He said a number of initiatives were being rolled out at London Heathrow to reduce aircraft noise still further and form better understanding of noise impacts on local communities. Read more ...
Virgin Australia starts first Brisbane trials of using a locally sourced biodiesel blend in ground service vehicles Wed 16 May 2012 - In a first for an Australian airline, Virgin Australia is to undertake an eight-week trial involving the use of a biodiesel blend derived from locally sourced tallow and used cooking oil in a baggage tug and a push-back vehicle at Brisbane Domestic Airport. Produced by Ecotech Biodiesel at a local facility in Queensland, the biofuel is blended 20/80 with conventional diesel. If the trial proves successful, the airline says it will roll out biodiesel to its ground service equipment fleet in Brisbane and other mainline airports, which it estimates could reduce carbon emissions by 300 tonnes per year. Read more ...
Indian and Chinese airlines set one-month compliance deadline having failed to submit emissions reports on time Tue 15 May 2012 - According to the European Commission, 1,200 aircraft operators have submitted their 2011 EU ETS emissions reports by the 31 March 2012 deadline but it appears Indian and Chinese airlines have heeded instructions from their authorities and failed to comply. Letters have been sent out today to the 10 airlines involved by the competent authorities of the relevant EU member states requesting receipt of their reports by June 15 in accordance with EU and national legislation. The Commission points out that almost all commercial airlines with significant operations to or from EU airports have reported on time and the 10 airlines concerned represent less than 3 per cent of aviation emissions covered by the scheme. Elsewhere in Brussels today, EU finance ministers have agreed that revenues from the auction of EU ETS aviation allowances could be used to support climate action in developing countries. (Updated May 16 & 18) Read more ...
Hong Kong International on track to achieve carbon goal as it commits to becoming the world's greenest airport Tue 15 May 2012 - Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) and 40 airport business partners have pledged to cooperate to make Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) the world's greenest airport. The commitment comes as AAHK announces the airport achieved a 10 per cent reduction in carbon intensity in 2011, which it says is on track with a goal made in 2010 to lower carbon intensity by 25 per cent from 2008 emission levels by 2015. The 2011 reduction was achieved as a result of over 300 green initiatives carried out by the airport community. Three companies at the airport have received awards for their carbon reduction achievements at a ceremony last week. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific has received a special award recognising 10 years of continuous commitment to the community, its employees and the environment. Read more ...
International Airline Group and easyJet in no rush to pass on EU ETS charges as they reveal costs in latest accounts Mon 14 May 2012 - Whereas some major international airlines flying to Europe like Delta, American, United, US Airways and Qantas have already added specific surcharges to their European routes to cover their EU ETS costs, apart from Ryanair, the larger EU carriers have yet to declare their hand. However, with the scheme now in operation and carriers already purchasing permits to cover the anticipated shortfall in their 2012 emissions permit requirements, the costs are finding their way onto airline balance sheets. Two of Europe's biggest airline operators, easyJet and International Airlines Group (IAG, the parent company of British Airways and Iberia), have both quoted EU ETS costs in their latest accounts that cover the first quarter of 2012. Both though remain reluctant to spell out when, and by how much, they intend to pass on the costs to customers. Read more ...
Lufthansa, FedEx and Southwest among the winners of inaugural ATW Eco-Aviation awards Fri 11 May 2012 - To coincide with ATW's annual Eco-Aviation Conference in Washington DC next month, the magazine is hosting its first Eco-Aviation industry awards. The winners have already been announced and the top award, the Gold Eco-Airline of the Year, has gone to the Lufthansa Group for its "dedication to fuel efficiency" and the burnFair project involving daily biofuel flights conducted during the second half of 2011. The Silver award went to FedEx Express for its EarthSmart environmental performance programme and a commitment to reduce its carbon footprint across operations. Other awards will presented at the ceremony to Southwest Airlines, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest and Pratt & Whitney. Read more ...
California's airports LEED the way in green design as Sacramento becomes latest to achieve efficiency certification Tue 8 May 2012 - Sacramento International has become the latest airport in California to be awarded LEED Silver Certification by the US Green Building Council for its new $1.03 billion Terminal B modernisation project that opened last October. Both Terminal B's public, pre-security building and the airside, post-security concourse met LEED Silver requirements for sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality, says the airport authority, which claims it is the largest airport terminal in the United States to achieve Silver status. The terminal project, dubbed 'The Big Build', was designed by Corgan Associates in association with Fentress Architects, which also designed Mineta San Jose International Airport's Terminal B that achieved LEED Silver in June 2010. Read more ...
Honeywell enters Canadian flight programme to test a new biofeedstock and higher blends of its green jet fuel Fri 4 May 2012 - Honeywell's UOP has started what it describes as the world's first comprehensive test programme involving its Green Jet Fuel product and a new biofeedstock specifically designed for biofuel production. A series of test flights are being carried out in Canada in collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and Ottawa-based Agrisoma Biosciences, which has produced a new non-food, industrial oilseed crop derived from Brassica carinata. The programme will also test blends of Honeywell Green Jet Fuel at higher ratios than the 50/50 level approved by fuel standards body ASTM last year for commercial use. Canada's first revenue biofuel flight last month by Porter Airlines used a blend that contained one per cent of Agrisoma's feedstock. Read more ...
Maldives President calls for a stronger will and leadership in bringing about the sustainable growth of aviation Thu 3 May 2012 - In a keynote address to this year's Asia-Pacific conference of the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), the President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Waheed, said that with new air traffic management technologies and measures, as well as greater aircraft efficiencies, it was possible to reduce the aviation industry's carbon footprint and make a contribution to a cleaner environment. However, even more than facing the technological challenges, what was also required was a will to act, take decisive steps and make a difference in addressing climate change, he said. The 11,000 Maldive islands, none of which has a point higher than 1.5 metres, is at serious threat from the rising sea level effects of climate change, which was already causing environmental damage and an enormous burden for small island countries such as his, said the President. Read more ...
The inclusion of international airlines into the EU ETS is largely compatible with world trade rules, finds study Thu 3 May 2012 - The legal case against the inclusion of international aviation into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) has centred on whether the EU has the power to regulate emissions produced outside the EU. Another question is whether the EU's scheme is consistent with its obligations under applicable bilateral and multilateral agreements governing air transport services. A third question, which has been raised by India, amongst others, is whether it is compatible with the EU's World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations. This latter challenge is the subject of a paper by Dr Lorand Bartels of the Faculty of Law at the University of Cambridge. Bartels concludes that despite the complexities of WTO law, the EU scheme in the main is justifiable on environmental grounds and it is likely a WTO panel would lack jurisdiction to determine on a violation until ICAO remedies had been exhausted. Read more ...
Iberia implements Madrid environmental initiatives to reduce airport vehicle emissions and recycle solid wastes Tue 1 May 2012 - Iberia has begun testing a telemetry system for refuelling its ground services vehicles at its T4 hub at Madrid-Barajas Airport. The fuel measuring system is expected to reduce consumption by 5 per cent and carbon emissions by 520 tonnes per year, the equivalent, says the airline, of planting some 2,600 trees. As part of Iberia's waste reduction and recycling programme, a new recycling centre has recently been set up at its La Munoza industrial site near the airport, part of plans to help the airline group reach its 'zero solid waste' target within the next few years. Read more ...
US representative to ICAO says general consensus remains that market measures should only be implemented from 2020 Fri 27 Apr 2012 - The general consensus within ICAO since 2007 has been that market-based measures (MBMs) to limit the growth of aviation emissions will not come into play until 2020, said the United States permanent representative and ambassador to ICAO, Duane Woerth, at a recent US Chamber of Commerce aviation conference in Washington. That consensus, although not unanimous, has so far remained the same, he believed. Whether the 2013 Assembly produced a different consensus, "we will all have to wait and see," said the unconvinced US envoy. He was critical of the slow progress at ICAO to deliver on a CO2 standard for airframes and engines that is due to be produced in 2013, which was, in his opinion, being held up by a failure to agree on variables and metrics. Read more ...
United Airlines enhances its passenger carbon offsetting programme and nominates US and Central American projects Wed 25 Apr 2012 - United Airlines has extended the focus of its passenger carbon offsetting programme to include offset projects that go beyond climate change to include forest and biodiversity conservation in California and Belize, as well as a renewable energy installation in Texas. Customers when booking flights through United, which now encompasses Continental Airlines, are directed to a dedicated carbon offset website where they can either make a voluntary donation of their choice or enter their flight itinerary and have the carbon footprint calculated. The passenger can then make a choice of the project to be supported and pay a variable amount according to the project chosen. United has partnered on the programme with non-profit organisation Sustainable Travel International, which has reviewed the independently verified projects. Read more ...
Refuelling the future: Sustainable, drop-in aviation biofuel is a reality but challenges remain, says Boeing Tue 8 May 2012 - Back in 2005, the idea of using biofuels to power commercial and military jets seemed beyond the range of modern science. While suitable for cars and trucks, biofuels offered little hope they could meet the stringent requirements of commercial airplanes and high-performance jet engines. But in 2006, Boeing product development professionals became aware of research that challenged the notion that biofuels could not compete with traditional kerosene-based jet fuel in terms of energy content, technical performance, infrastructure requirements and cost. They reached out to others in the industry to determine whether biofuels could help meet the environmental challenges of commercial aviation. And their efforts paid off in a big way, reports Boeing's Bill Seil. Read more ...
University of Alabama researcher develops a 'sponge' material that cuts jet engine noise Fri 10 May 2012 - A breakthrough technology to reduce aircraft engine noise at source has been developed and patented by an engineering professor from the University of Alabama. So far, noise reduction has been addressed after the fact - suppressing the noise outside the engine after the combustion process takes place. Dr Ajay Agrawal has come up with a sponge-like material that eliminates the noise at source, during the combustion process. The challenge of cutting the sound level during the process is that combustion happens at extremely high temperatures and pressure. Most materials cannot withstand such conditions but Agrawal says he and his team have found a suitable porous material. Read more ...
Boeing promises additional fuel burn improvement from new winglets for 737 MAX as Airbus unveils Sharklets Thu 10 May 2012 - A new Advanced Technology winglet design concept for the 737 MAX will provide airline customers for the re-engined aircraft that is due to come into service in 2017 with up to an additional 1.5 per cent improvement, depending on range, says Boeing. This is on top of the 10-12 per cent improvement promised by the new-engine variant. Compared to current Boeing wingtip technology, which provides up to a 4 per cent fuel-burn saving at long ranges, the new winglet will see a total fuel-burn improvement of up to 5.5 per cent on the same long routes, claims the airplane manufacturer. Meanwhile, Airbus has rolled-out the first new Airbus A320 to be fitted with Sharklet wingtip devices which are expected to reduce fuel burn by up to 3.5 per cent. Read more ...
Alitalia becomes launch customer for WheelTug's innovative aircraft taxiing electric drive system Wed 9 May 2012 - WheelTug has signed a partnership agreement with Alitalia to install 100 of its innovative electric drive systems on 100 of the Italian airline's A320 aircraft and so become the launch customer for the patented system. The equipment allows aircraft to taxi both forwards without the use of main engines and backwards without the use of a tow tug. The new technology allows up to an 80 per cent reduction in the fuel consumption for aircraft ground movements, with a significant reduction in cost, noise and environmental impact, claims WheelTug. In March, the company signed Letters of Intent with Israir Airlines for 10 systems for its A320 fleet, subject to financial and operational feasibility checks and regulatory approvals, and also with
Jet Airways, giving the Indian airline the right to lease systems for installation on its Boeing 737NG aircraft.
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UK’s Monarch Airlines signs up to Pratt & Whitney’s EcoFlight to develop and implement fuel efficiencies Wed 9 May 2012 - Leisure carrier Monarch Airlines has signed a five-year commitment with Pratt & Whitney for the engine manufacturer's EcoFlight Solutions fuel conservation programme. The airline has already been using Pratt & Whitney's EcoPower engine wash service since 2011 and the EcoFlight team has already commenced working with Monarch to develop and implement fuel savings and emissions reduction solutions. Offered in collaboration with fuel conservation programme provider Flight Sciences International and fuel efficiency software company Aviaso, EcoFlight Solutions can typically save an airline 3 to 8 per cent in fuel costs annually, claims Pratt & Whitney. Read more ...
Noise ban provides nightmares for German airports and airlines but better sleep for campaigning residents Fri 20 Apr 2012 - First it was London Heathrow and now its the turn of German airports and airlines to feel the force of high profile public campaigns by local residents and activists opposed to airport expansion and aircraft noise. Thousands of protesters have regularly occupied Frankfurt Airport's Terminal One on Monday evenings since the new fourth runway opened last October and now the German federal administrative court has ruled against night flights taking place between 11pm and 5am, and follows a similar ban imposed on Berlin's new Brandenburg International Airport when it opens in June. This week, a night flight ban on passenger aircraft was introduced at Cologne Bonn Airport and permission for a new third runway at Munich hangs in the balance, where protests have also taken place. Airports and airlines in the country are furious but UK campaigner John Stewart believes the German rulings may have implications for other major airports in Europe. Read more ...
US and India warn Europe that row over Aviation EU ETS could derail global climate change negotiations Wed 18 Apr 2012 - The US special envoy for climate change, Todd Stern, has warned that the inclusion of foreign airlines in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) could hold up global climate change talks. Speaking at an energy and climate forum of major economies in Rome yesterday, Stern said that just because progress on a global agreement over aviation emissions reductions at ICAO had proved difficult, "it did not mean the multilateral approach should be thrown away." Last week, India's environment minister, Jayanthi Natarajan, said the EU scheme was "a deal-breaker" for the global talks on climate change. While US carriers continue to comply under protest with the EU ETS, Indian airlines serving Europe have been forbidden to take part and it is understood the two airlines involved, Air India and Jet Airways, have failed to submit their 2011 emissions reports by the March 31 deadline, leaving open the possibility of fines by their UK authority. Read more ...
British Airways' new carbon fund sets sail with first home-grown community solar panel installation project Wed 18 Apr 2012 - British Airways' One Destination Carbon Fund, which was set up last year to replace the airline's carbon offsetting programme, has launched its first project. Last week, sailing triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie unveiled a solar panel installation at a leisure centre on the English south coast that has received £46,000 ($74,000) from the Fund. The Osprey Leisure Centre, located near Weymouth, where the Olympic and Paralympic sailing competitions are taking place this summer, is owned by a charitable, not-for-profit organisation that took over a former naval sports centre in order to provide sports facilities for the local community. As the official airline partner of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, British Airways is supporting projects in the first year of the Fund that are sport related. Read more ...
Boeing 787 delivery flight to ANA marks first use of biofuels on the new Dreamliner and also first across the Pacific Tue 17 April 2012 - Biofuel from used cooking oil has been used to power in part the delivery flight of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner joining the All Nippon Airways (ANA) fleet from Boeing's Delivery Center in Everett, Washington, to Tokyo's Haneda Airport. Not only is it the first use of biofuels on Boeing's new mid-size, twin-engined aircraft capable of flying long-range routes but it is the first time a biofuel blend has been used on a transpacific flight. Boeing said the flight emitted an estimated 30 per cent less emissions of CO2 when compared to similarly-sized current commercial aircraft as a result of a 10 per cent blend of biofuel and an approximate 20 per cent saving from the technology and efficiency advancements offered by the Dreamliner. Read more ...
UK’s NATS delivers further fuel and emissions reductions in 2011 en route to 10 per cent target by 2020 Mon 16 Apr 2012 - The past year has proved a busy time for the UK's air navigation service provider (ANSP) NATS as it endeavours to make good on a long-term pledge to reduce air traffic related CO2 emissions by an average 10 per cent per flight by 2020. The company's 2012 Corporate Responsibility report just published highlights that over 100 operational and procedural changes in air traffic flows have resulted in savings of around 115,000 tonnes of CO2 since 2009, worth £22 million ($35m) in fuel savings to airlines. In 2011, 26 changes made at NATS' Swanwick and Prestwick air traffic control centres enabled savings of 19,000 tonnes of fuel and 60,000 tonnes of emissions. The launch in January of a metric that financially incentivises NATS to reduce air traffic emissions has already received recognition as a meaningful, results-led environmental collaboration of aviation sectors working together and an example for other ANSPs to follow. Read more ...
UK climate advisers recommend international aviation emissions be included in national carbon budgets Thu 5 Apr 2012 - The Committee on Climate Change (CCC), which advises the UK government on national carbon targets, has recommended international aviation and shipping emissions be included in carbon budgets and the UK's 2050 overall target to reduce emissions 80 per cent below 1990 levels. International emissions from the two sectors had previously been excluded because of the complexities involved but the introduction of aviation into the EU ETS has now made it possible to calculate aviation's UK share and provide a mechanism to cap its emissions growth. Current UK policy is to return aviation emissions to 2005 levels by 2050. The full inclusion of aviation emissions into the legally binding carbon budgets would put pressure on the UK aviation industry to deliver on its own reduction goals. However, the CCC said the UK should not set unilateral emissions targets but should work within longer-term global or EU agreements. Read more ...
The three main obstacles facing the introduction of sustainable aviation biofuels: price, price and price Mon 2 Apr 2012 - According to Finnair's VP Sustainable Development, Kati Ihamaki, biofuels are the fastest route to meaningful long-term reductions in aviation greenhouse gas emissions but supply chain problems need to be overcome and the major hurdle remained "price, price and price". This was a familiar theme at the recent World Biofuels Markets 2012 aviation stream conference, with commercialisation and production scale-up providing a significant challenge to the development of a sustainable jet biofuels industry. However, there are growing signs that policy-makers at European Commission and US government level are willing to join with industry to find solutions. Read more ...
Global use of sustainable aviation fuels widens with first commercial flights for South America, Australia and Canada Thu 29 March 2012 - Dutch sustainable jet fuel supplier SkyNRG has notched up two more biofuel-powered commercial flight 'firsts'. LAN Chile recently carried out South America's first second-generation jet biofuel flight between the Chilean cities of Santiago and Concepcion using SkyNRG's used cooking oil biofuel. Qantas Airways has reported it will operate Australia's first commercial flights powered by sustainable aviation fuel from SkyNRG on a return service between Sydney and Adelaide on April 13. Qantas said it has ended collaborations set up last year with US biofuel companies Solena and Solazyme. Meanwhile, Porter Airlines has announced it will use one of its Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft to conduct the first biofuel-powered revenue flight in Canada in mid-April, using a biofuel blend derived from the crops camelina sativa and brassica carinata supplied by a Canadian producer. Read more ...
US airlines give up on legal case against inclusion into the EU ETS but call on their government to step up retaliatory action Thu 29 March 2012 - The two-year-long lawsuit brought against the UK government by three major US airlines and their trade association over their inclusion in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme has formally come to an end. The case had been referred to the European Court of Justice (ECJ), which found against the US arguments last December and ruled the scheme was consistent with international law. It had been expected that new claims would be submitted by the plaintiffs when the case was heard again by the High Court in London today but instead they withdrew the lawsuit, with Airlines for America explaining only that it had been "appropriately ended". A4A said it and its members remained steadfastly opposed to the scheme being applied to US airlines and aircraft operators and were committed to seeing it overturned. Environmental NGOs that sided with the EU in the case welcomed the ending of the case but expressed concern that the battlefield was being moved elsewhere. Read more ...
US and German aviation biofuel interests forge partnership to showcase technology at ILA Berlin Air Show Wed 28 March 2012 - A growing affiliation between the US-based Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) and its new German counterpart aireg will be brought into focus in September when the two associations come together to draw attention to aviation biofuel developments at the ILA Berlin Air Show 2012. A highlight during the show will be a one-day high-level conference in which senior policy-makers and industry will discuss the prospects for biofuels in the aviation sector. CAAFI has been behind previous showcase events at the Farnborough Air Show in 2010 and the Paris Air Show in 2009 and 2011, which drew a number of US biofuel companies as exhibitors alongside the running of daily seminars. It has decided to skip Farnborough this year in favour of Berlin, citing Olympics issues and the attraction of working with aireg. Read more ...
Improvements in global air traffic efficiency must be speeded up if industry emission goals are to be reached, says CANSO/Boeing report Wed 28 March 2012 - Air navigation service providers (ANSPs) and the international aviation industry must increase collaboration if real air traffic management (ATM) fuel efficiencies are to be realised in the face of growing global air traffic. That's the central message of a 'white paper' published by Boeing and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation (CANSO), which represents ANSPs responsible for supporting over 85 per cent of world air traffic. CANSO is concerned that unless work on improving operational efficiency in the global ATM system is accelerated, there is a danger the sector will fail to contribute to the aviation industry's 2020 and 2050 carbon emissions reduction goals. The paper challenges all industry stakeholders to collaborate on a set of steps to reach 94-95 per cent operational efficiency by 2025 and 95-98 per cent by 2050. Read more ...
Leading aircraft manufacturers set aside their rivalries to collaborate on accelerating aviation biofuel commercialisation Mon 26 March 2012 - Aircraft manufacturers Airbus, Boeing and Embraer have set aside their competitive differences to come together and help promote and accelerate the availability of sustainable new jet fuel sources. Without going into specific details the three rivals say they will seek collaborative opportunities to "speak in unity" to government, biofuel producers and key stakeholders. Airbus has also joined an Australian consortium that includes Virgin Australia, which is studying the production of sustainable jet biofuels from eucalyptus mallee trees through pyrolytic thermal conversion. Fuels derived from pyrolysis have not yet been approved for commercial aviation use by the international standards bodies and Airbus will support the certification process. Read more ...
South African tourism minister calls for two-year suspension of aviation EU ETS to allow global deal at ICAO Fri 23 March 2012 - The creation of a legally-binding global sectoral cap-and-trade emissions trading scheme for aviation is long overdue, South Africa's Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk told delegates at this week's Aviation & Environment Summit in Geneva. He criticised the "15 years of intransigence and doublespeak" at ICAO, where "too many vested interests" had frustrated the political process. However, he had sharp words for Europe's Emissions Trading Scheme, the introduction of which, he said, had left a bitter aftertaste. He called on the EU to suspend the extension of the ETS to aviation for two years in order to give the ICAO negotiating parties a chance to conclude negotiations on a global scheme. The minister added slowing down aviation and tourism growth was in no-one's interest but the two sectors shared a responsibility to address their growing carbon footprint. Read more ...
Concerns over CBDR fail to halt important ICAO Council agreement to move forward on evaluating market-based measures Fri 16 March 2013 - Despite deep reservations by a number of major developing states over CBDR, an agreement was reached by ICAO Council members on Wednesday that work should continue on finding a market-based system that would enable the international aviation industry to offset growth in carbon emissions. The high-profile importance of this issue has become a major challenge for the UN agency as the dispute between Europe and other major powers over the EU ETS continues to escalate. The general consensus reached at the Council, however, should be viewed as welcome progress after a stormy previous meeting left the EU isolated following the adoption of a resolution condemning its carbon scheme. The President of the ICAO Council, Roberto Kobeh Gonzalez said he was very pleased with the outcome and is optimistic a plan can be presented at next year’s ICAO Assembly. Read more ...
European air transport bosses urge EU leaders to find an international compromise over EU ETS conflict Mon 12 March 2012 - The CEOs of nine leading European aerospace manufacturers and airlines have written letters to the Prime Ministers of France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom to put a stop to the growing probability of a trade conflict with China and other major nations over the EU ETS. Airbus, which fears a damaging loss of orders for its aircraft, has been joined by major European flag carriers such as Air France, Lufthansa, Iberia and British Airways, as well as Virgin Atlantic, Air Berlin, Safran and MTU Aero Engines, in believing they face serious consequences over the EU carbon scheme. Read more ... 1 opinion posted
US legislation to prohibit airlines from joining EU ETS moves a step closer as Senate bill receives bipartisan support Thu 8 March 2012 - A bill introduced into the US upper house by Republican Senator John Thune that would prohibit US aircraft operators from participating in the EU ETS has received backing from Senator Claire McCaskill, a Democrat. As the Democrats hold the balance of power in the Senate this bipartisan approach could prove crucial in progress of the proposed legislation. Russia too is preparing similar legislation to prevent its carriers from participating in Europe's emissions reduction scheme and the Ministry of Transport is working with the Russian parliament (the Duma) on preparing a draft law, expected before mid-year. In a bid to head off a damaging confrontation between the EU and its opponents, an upcoming meeting of the ICAO Council is due to consider a number of proposals on possible market-based measures that could form the basis for a global agreement. Meanwhile, a US study concludes airline profits could increase in the short term as a result of the EU ETS. Read more ...
UK aviation industry plots roadmap to accommodate significant growth to 2050 without substantial CO2 increase Thu 8 March 2012 - An alliance of UK aviation sectors committed to driving a greener long-term strategy for the industry says a significant growth in passenger and freight traffic to 2050 is possible without a substantial increase in absolute carbon emissions. The Sustainable Aviation (SA) group - made up of airlines, airports, aerospace manufacturers and the national ANSP - has updated its 2008 Road-Map to reflect revised traffic forecasts and the latest developments in aircraft and engine technologies, as well as progress made in aviation biofuels. The group says the latest Road-Map takes into account its support for the global industry target of reducing emissions to 2005 levels by 2050 and recognising the significant role required of carbon trading in achieving this aim. SA warns the UK government against imposing unilateral national targets and measures to restrain capacity or including international aviation emissions in UK carbon targets. Read more ...
Rival Chinese and US planemakers partner to set up Beijing energy conservation and emissions reduction research project Wed 7 March 2012 - Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC) and Boeing have announced a collaboration agreement to set up a research centre in Beijing that will aim to improve commercial aviation's energy efficiency and reduce the sector's greenhouse gas emissions. The two rivals will create and jointly fund the Boeing-COMAC Aviation Energy Conservation and Emissions Reduction Technology Center, and the agreement also allows for annual leadership engagements and the exchange of market forecasts. COMAC is due to launch a narrowbody rival to the Boeing 737 in 2016 and secure a share of one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets as Chinese passenger traffic grows an estimated five times its present size by 2030. Read more ...
Air France reports a 4 per cent fuel efficiency improvement following 2008 commitment on environmental impact Mon 5 March 2012 - Air France has decreased its fuel consumption from 3.96 litres to 3.81 litres per passenger per 100km between 2008 and 2011, a reduction of almost 4 per cent. The airline is aiming for an average fuel consumption of 3.7 litres by the end of 2012, a commitment Air France undertook in early 2008 when its then CEO signed the Grenelle Environment Agreement with French government ministers. The agreement pledged to lower CO2 emissions on flights to its French overseas territories by 20 per cent and on domestic flights by 5 per cent over a five-year period. Last October, the airline claimed a world fuel efficiency record of 2.2 litres per passenger per 100km on a flight between Toulouse and Paris Orly, thanks to a combination of biofuel usage and flight navigation procedures. Meanwhile, group partner KLM has announced a new series of biofuel flights between Amsterdam Schiphol and Paris CDG airports. Read more ...
China targets 12 million tonnes of aviation biofuels by 2020, representing 30 per cent of total jet fuel use Thu 1 March 2012 - Aviation fuel consumption in China is likely to double over the remainder of the decade from a current 20 million tonnes to more than 40 million tonnes by 2020, with aviation biofuels expected to make up more than a half of this increase, said Li Jian, Deputy Director of the Civil Aviation Administration of China. According to a report in China Daily, Li said the move to develop biofuels is prompted by the EU's new emissions trading scheme. Air China carried out the country's first biofuel demonstration flight last October using a jatropha blend supplied by the PetroChina unit of China National Petroleum. Rival Sinopec, China's biggest oil refiner, has started sending aviation biofuel it has developed from animal fat and vegetable oils to CAAC for testing, with a view to commercialisation. Read more ...
LAN and Iberia contribute to South American projects on greener flight paths and climate change impacts Tue 28 Feb 2012 - LAN has carried out Latin America's first continuously guided flight from take-off to landing using Performance-based Navigation (PBN) technology. The flight from Cusco, access point to the popular tourist site of Machu Picchu, to the Peruvian capital Lima charted a highly efficient and predictable flight path as part of the Green Skies of Peru project. The GE-designed PBN departure, en-route, arrival and approach procedures will save participating airlines on average 19 track miles, 6.3 minutes, 450 pounds (204kg) of fuel and 1,420 pounds (644kg) of CO2 emissions per flight. Meanwhile, Iberia is to participate in a European climate change research project to measure air quality at cruising altitude on flights between Spain and South America. Read more ...
Airberlin lays claim as Europe’s most fuel-efficient network carrier as 2011 consumption drops by 1.5 per cent Fri 24 Feb 2012 - Germany's second largest airline airberlin managed to improve its fuel overall efficiency in 2011 by 1.5 per cent compared to the previous year. The carrier says it achieved an average specific fuel consumption of 3.5 litres per 100 passenger kilometres flown, which it claims is the lowest of any European network carrier, and compares to 3.6 litres per 100PKM in 2010. The savings in 2011 amounted to nearly 19,800 tonnes of fuel, corresponding to a reduction of 62,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Airberlin's fleet is largely made up of Boeing 737-700 and -800 aircraft fitted with winglets, although it also operates Airbus A320 and A330, Embraer E-190 and Bombardier Q400 aircraft. Read more ... 1 opinion posted
Coalition of states comes up with basket of countermeasures over EU ETS but falls short of a coordinated attack Thu 23 Feb 2012 - Of the 29 or so countries who met this week to discuss measures to derail the EU's inclusion of third country airlines and operators into the EU ETS, 23 of them signed a joint declaration calling on the EU and its member states to cease application of the directive and said they would "consider" measures and actions if the EU failed to respond. Even though the tone of the declaration is less confrontational than some expected, it is thought Canada, Egypt and the UAE abstained from the final agreement. The "coalition of the unwilling", as it has been dubbed, has come up with a list of eight possible measures the signatories could take in retaliation, including filing an Article 84 dispute application at ICAO and prohibiting their carriers from participating in the EU carbon reduction scheme. An earlier draft suggestion on re-opening existing wider trade agreements and negotiations with the EU was dropped from the final adopted text. Read more ...
Governments meet in Moscow to debate action against the EU’s inclusion of their airlines in carbon scheme Tue 21 Feb 2012 - A two-day meeting of 26 countries opposed to the inclusion of non-EU airlines into the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) gets underway in Moscow today to consider potential countermeasures. Action could include barring national airlines from taking part in the scheme, invoking an Article 84 legal procedure at ICAO or taking retaliatory action against European carriers or aerospace manufacturers. Two of the countries involved - China and the United States - have already made moves to ban their carriers from complying with the legislation. However, with a fragile global economy, there is recognition that a trade war is in no one's interest and both sides would prefer to see a resolution through ICAO, where moves towards a global market-based mechanism are being accelerated. Meanwhile, not content with making airlines pay for their climate impact through the EU ETS, EU finance ministers are eyeing the industry as a contributor to the UN Green Climate Fund. Read more ... 1 opinion posted
Hawaiian Airlines earns carbon credits following six-year use of P&W's engine washing system Tue 21 Feb 2012 - Hawaiian Airlines has earned what it claims to be the first-ever aviation-based verified carbon credits, having reduced its CO2 emissions by nearly 22,000 tonnes over the past six years using Pratt & Whitney's engine washing technology. Since its launch in 2005, the programme has saved the airline more than 2.5 million gallons of fuel, along with an estimated 26,000 gallons of water that would be have been used with traditional washing methods. The credits have been quantified and certified under the Verified Carbon Standard, the most widely used international quality-assurance system for carbon credits issued in voluntary markets. Read more ...
EasyJet becomes first airline to join with Safran and Honeywell on development of electric green taxiing system Mon 20 Feb 2012 - Low-cost airline easyJet is to collaborate with Safran and Honeywell in supporting the development and trial of an innovative system that allows aircraft to taxi without requiring the use of aircraft engines or a tug to manoeuvre it in and out of stands. First operational trials are expected to start in 2013 and the two aerospace manufacturers are looking to offer the electric green taxiing system (EGTS) either on new aircraft or as a retrofit solution to in-service aircraft by 2016. EasyJet's involvement will help establish whether the estimated savings in fuel and emissions can be realised and will also quantify other benefits. The UK's biggest short-haul airline will also assist in establishing the standard operational procedures for aircraft equipped with the system. Read more ...
Weak carbon price sees market analysts sharply downgrading forecasts of EU ETS cost to airlines in 2012 Mon 20 Feb 2012 - Despite a rebound in the price of European carbon prices late last week, analysts at Thomson Reuters Point Carbon have halved their estimate made last September of the cost of the EU ETS to airlines. Point Carbon has calculated airlines covered by the scheme will have to pay around 500 million euros ($660m) for the required permits to cover a potential shortfall of 59 million tonnes of CO2 this year, at an average estimated price of 8.50 euros ($11.25) per tonne. Barclays Capital put the overall 2012 cost even lower - around 300 million euros ($400m) - which an analyst described as "a drop in the ocean" compared to the cost of jet fuel. Meanwhile, Middle East carrier Etihad has announced a carbon surcharge of $3 per passenger for flights into and out of Europe from March 1, following similar surcharges being imposed by Qantas and major US carriers. Read more ...
The prospect of EU ETS non-compliance by foreign airlines fills European carriers with grim foreboding Fri 17 Feb 2012 - While European airlines remain supportive of carbon pricing as the most effective way of dealing with the industry's emissions, they are becoming increasingly alarmed with events on the wider political international stage that could see them competitively disadvantaged under the EU ETS. Despite differences on the scope of the scheme, international and regional airline representatives have expressed deep concerns over the potential impact of airlines operating to Europe that are prohibited by their governments from complying with the EU legislation. At a London conference last week, British Airways called for an exemption for all airlines on routes affected by non-compliance issues or financial compensation where retaliatory measures are enforced by foreign regulators. A European Commission representative said there was no question of amending or suspending the scheme but said the EU would continue to support a global approach through ICAO. Read more ...
Some non-food vegetable oil-based aviation biofuels could be cost-competitive by the end of the decade, finds Bloomberg study Wed 15 Feb 2012 - If production efficiency continues to improve, the cost of some biofuels - such as those based on hydro-treated non-food vegetable oils from jatropha and camelina, or from pyrolysis of cellulosic feedstocks - could become competitive with the cost of fossil-based jet fuel by 2018. This is the main finding of research carried out by Bloomberg New Energy Finance for its clients. On the other hand, fuels produced from woody feedstock through gasification and the Fischer Tropsch (F-T) process are unlikely to be economical until well into the next decade. The researchers suggest that subsidies or mandates will be required if governments wish to see a sizeable take-up of aviation biofuels before 2020 and airlines will have to compete with road transport for the limited availability of certified, low-cost supplies. Read more ... 1 opinion posted
After thirty months of progress, airport carbon reduction programme expands to cover over half of European traffic Wed 15 Feb 2012 – Airports handling over half - 52 per cent - of European passenger traffic are now certified under the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme set up by trade body ACI Europe and backed by the European Commission. Since its launch in June 2009, 55 airports have become accredited at one of the four levels of certification: Mapping, Reduction, Optimisation and Neutrality. Airports' own operations account for only around 5 per cent of aviation's two per cent share of global carbon emissions but, says ACI Europe, European airports are keen to tackle their contribution. Last November, the programme was expanded to include ACI's Asia-Pacific region, with Abu Dhabi International Airport becoming the first to be accredited, and gained the support of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Read more ...
Aviation must tackle its environmental impact before it can be allowed to grow, says UK's aviation regulator Fri 27 Jan 2012 - Although aviation is a key driver of growth, without tackling its global and local environmental impact, the industry will not be able to realise its economic potential, says the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The regulatory body has opened a three-month consultation period as it seeks to define and develop its own environmental role, and help aviation to improve its environmental performance. In a document published to coincide with the consultation, 'CAA and the Environment', the regulator sets out a number of goals for its work. As the UK seeks to form a coherent aviation policy, the UK government has recently introduced legislative plans to give the CAA a duty to promote better information for the public on environmental impact and performance and improve consumers' ability to make informed choices. Read more ... 1 opinion posted
BioJet and US Indian Tribes to develop jet biofuel feedstock and refining projects worth $1 billion over 10 years Fri 27 Jan 2012 - Renewable aviation biofuel supply chain integrator BioJet International has formed a business alliance with the Council of Energy Resource Tribes (CERT), which represents 57 sovereign Indian Tribes that manage millions of acres of agricultural lands in the United States on which feedstocks for biofuels may be grown. A year ago, BioJet received a $1.2 billion facility from Equity Partners Fund, which is intended to help finance a $6 billion supply chain capital projects programme over the next 10 years that includes feedstock and refining projects, as well as investment and strategic acquisitions. BioJet CEO Mitch Hawkins said its relationship with CERT envisioned joint projects worth at least $1 billion over 10 years locating feedstock generation and refining operations to provide biofuels for airlines and ground transportation at key locations throughout the western United States. Read more ...
Aviation Partners estimate its blended winglets have saved commercial and business aircraft around 3 billion gallons of jet fuel Fri 27 Jan 2012 - Seattle-based Aviation Partners Inc (API) estimates its blended winglets have saved customers worldwide an estimated 3 billion gallons of jet fuel, based on typical utilisation, since they were first installed on a Gulfstream II aircraft in 1993, representing a reduction of over 32.2 million tons of CO2 emissions. By adding effective wingspan, the winglets reduce by around 6 to 7 per cent the drag caused by wingtip vortices and result in increased fuel efficiency and boost range. The company's winglets are now flying on more than 5,000 individual airplanes comprising more than 20 airplane types, mostly business jets but also commercial Boeing aircraft. Read more ...
Etihad becomes first Middle East carrier to use sustainable biofuel as it takes delivery of new Boeing aircraft Wed 25 Jan 2012 – Etihad Airways’ newest 777-300ER aircraft that arrived yesterday in Abu Dhabi from the Boeing factory in Seattle was powered on its 14-hour flight by a blend of plant-based jet fuel sourced from recycled vegetable cooking oil and traditional jet kerosene. The biofuel blend was supplied by SkyNRG, which has virtually cornered the market availability of sustainable jet fuel just now, with involvement already in maiden commercial biofuel flights by carriers in Europe, Asia, the United States and now the Middle East. Boeing helped Etihad source the fuel and also worked on testing the biofuel blend and other technical aspects associated with preparing for the flight. Read more ...
Countries opposing EU ETS to convene second meeting within weeks to discuss retaliatory action against Europe Tue 24 Jan 2012 - Following the Delhi meeting of 26 countries at the end of September to discuss moves to jointly oppose the inclusion of their airlines in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), a second meeting is planned to take place either in Delhi or Moscow early next month. The first meeting resulted in the Delhi Declaration, which led to the ICAO Council adopting in November a similar declaration put forward by the coalition of nations including India, China, Brazil and the United States. Indian officials are believed to be in the United States this week to agree their positions ahead of the second meeting. ICAO Secretary General Raymond Benjamin recently pledged to accelerate moves towards developing a global market-based system in a move to head off international confrontation over the European carbon scheme, including a possible Article 84 legal challenge by the US. Read more ...
Availability and sustainability key challenges, says Lufthansa, as biofuel trials end with first commercial transatlantic flight Mon 23 Jan 2012 - The six-month trial by Lufthansa using biofuel blends on the route between Hamburg and Frankfurt has ended with the first-ever scheduled commercial transatlantic biofuel flight on January 12. In all, 1,187 scheduled flights were carried out between July and December using an Airbus A321 with a 50-50 blend of regular fuel and biosynthetic kerosene in one engine. Total consumption of the biokerosene mix amounted to 1,556 tonnes, says the airline, and initial calculations suggest CO2 emissions were reduced by 1,471 tonnes as a result. Lufthansa also reports that thanks to the higher density of biofuel, fuel consumption is reduced by more than one per cent, with the added benefit of cleaner burning fuel due to a lack of sulphur and aromatic compounds. Read more ...
Airlines greet the unwelcome arrival of the EU ETS with passenger surcharges to cover their anticipated costs Wed 18 Jan 2012 - There were no fireworks on January 1 to usher in the introduction of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) for airlines serving European airports, just disgruntled announcements by a number of major airlines - including Lufthansa and Ryanair - that passengers would face an increase in their fares to cover the costs of compliance. US airlines too have introduced surcharges on transatlantic routes but won't publicly attribute them to the EU scheme. Up till now, airlines have generally refused to reveal whether they would soak up the costs or pass them on to customers but the early signs are that many will decide on the latter course of action. A paper by MIT's Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics finds the economic impact of the EU ETS on US airlines is likely to be small, with a potential for windfall gains under the current permit allocation rules. Read more ...
Analysis: New facilities spotlight next-generation biofuels
(Reuters) - After a decade of promise, advanced biofuels makers are entering a crucial make-or-break period with the first of a new generation of production facilities about to come on line.
Posted Friday, May 18, 2012 5:50 pm CDT
Guatemala volcano spits lava and ash
GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - Guatemala's Fuego volcano belched burning lava and black ash into the sky early Saturday, leading the government to issue an airplane advisory and close sections of highway.
Posted Saturday, May 19, 2012 12:17 pm CDT
Season's first Atlantic tropical storm forms off South Carolina
MIAMI (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Alberto formed off the South Carolina coast on Saturday, bringing an early start to the Atlantic hurricane season, forecasters at the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
Posted Saturday, May 19, 2012 4:27 pm CDT
Apple to use only green power for main data center
(Reuters) - Apple Inc plans to power its main U.S. data center entirely with renewable energy by the end of this year, taking steps to address longstanding environmental concerns about the rapid expansion of high-consuming computer server farms.
Posted Friday, May 18, 2012 7:42 am CDT
EPA report outlines potential Pebble mine risks
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - Large stretches of salmon-spawning streams and thousands of acres of wetlands would be wiped out if a large-scale mining project were to be built in southwestern Alaska's copper-rich Bristol Bay region, according to a report issued Friday by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Posted Friday, May 18, 2012 7:14 pm CDT
Analysis: Germany's Merkel losing green battle to cheap coal
LONDON/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - To reach its strict climate targets and fulfill Chancellor Angela Merkel's nuclear exit plans, Germany needs to avoid coal and build a stack of gas power plants to secure clean energy supplies beyond 2020.
Posted Friday, May 18, 2012 4:43 am CDT
China cries foul after U.S. sets tariffs on solar imports
(Reuters) - The United States imposed punitive tariffs on solar panel imports from China, the latest in a series of trade disputes between the world's two biggest economies and sparking accusations by Beijing of protectionism.
Posted Friday, May 18, 2012 5:23 am CDT
Denmark aims low with green energy policy
SAMSO, Denmark (Reuters) - Over a beer or two, Danes like to tell a story that goes like this: One night the energy ministers of the countries around the North Sea got together to divide up its oil and gas wealth. The Danish minister got very drunk, but the Norwegian managed to stay sober. As a result, Norway carved out a jagged shape that included Ekofisk, which has proved to be a major field, and Denmark was left with the dregs.
Posted Thursday, May 17, 2012 8:16 am CDT
Oklahoma park accused of letting kids play with tigers
OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) - The Humane Society of the United States is accusing an Oklahoma exotic animal park of allowing children to handle and pose for photographs with juvenile tigers in what they called "a petting zoo for carnivores."
Posted Thursday, May 17, 2012 9:37 pm CDT
Brazil probes oil leak reports, finds nothing
BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's state-owned oil company Petrobras, its navy, and oil industry regulators rushed to investigate multiple reports of an oil leak from an offshore field on Thursday, but said they found no signs of oil in the water.
