http://www.greenaironline.com/ http://www.greenaironline.com/ http://www.greenaironline.com/ http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=893 Wed 28 July 2010 - Solena Group CEO Dr Robert Do says the search for a potential site for its waste biomass-to-jet fuel plant in East London has been narrowed down to two or three locations, with an announcement due shortly. Speaking at last week's Farnborough Air Show, Do expressed confidence that the company will be successful in attracting major international investors for the proposed $280 million facility. Now dubbed the GreenSky project, Solena and its partner and customer British Airways are bullish that 16 million gallons of jet biofuel will be in annual production once the plant opens in 2014. Meanwhile, the airline and Rolls-Royce have invited fuel suppliers to take part in a test programme to evaluate a range of alternative jet fuels. http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=892 Fri 23 July 2010 - Alaska Airlines this week conducted an Optimized Profile Descent (OPD) test flight into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac) that it claims reduced emissions by 35 percent compared to a conventional landing. Satellite-based Required Navigation Performance (RNP) guidance technology enabled the aircraft to fly more efficient landing procedures that not only reduced greenhouse gas emissions but also noise impacts for residents in the Puget Sound region. The flight was conducted as part of the Alaska Air Group's 'Greener Skies' project along with Boeing, the FAA and the Port of Seattle. The airline is seeking approval for the procedures that could in the future be used by all RNP-equipped aircraft using the airport. http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=891 Fri 23 July 2010 – CDC Climat, a French provider of carbon market and climate change services and solutions, and UK-based IT company SFW have been awarded a contract by the Environment Agency of England and Wales (EA) to deliver a system that will enable the agency to manage the aircraft operators it is administering under the Aviation EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS). The application is an electronic workflow and messaging system that will allow carbon emissions monitoring, permitting, reporting and benchmarking. The system is based on a common set of requirements agreed by a number of EU member states and will be the first of its kind across the EU ETS. It will initially be used by the EA for managing its aviation requirements but it is anticipated the system will be extended to other emitting sectors. http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=890 Fri 23 July 2010 – The CBI, the UK’s leading business organization, says a global cap-and-trade system is the best way for the world’s aviation industry to meet its climate obligations. It calls on member states to start laying the groundwork for establishing such a scheme at the International Civil Aviation Organization’s triennial general assembly in late September. In a new report, ‘Green skies ahead, creating a low-carbon aviation industry’, the CBI also voices concern over the new British government’s proposals to change Air Passenger Duty to a per-plane duty which, it maintains, would be ineffective, damage competitiveness and deliver little or no environmental benefit. The British Air Transport Association (BATA), the trade body representing UK-registered airlines welcomed the report’s findings. http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=888 Fri 23 July 2010 – A six-partner consortium led by crop biotechnology company Targeted Growth Canada (TGC) is to undertake a test programme using biofuel sourced from camelina oil that will culminate in a demonstration flight of a Porter Airlines Bombardier Q400 twin-turboprop aircraft planned for early 2012. TGC, Bombardier Aerospace and Porter are joined on the programme by engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney Canada, Sustainable Oils and Honeywell’s UOP. Funding for the project is being provided by the partners as well as by Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), an arms-length, not-for-profit corporation created by the Canadian government, and Green Aviation Research & Development Network (GARDN). http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=887 Wed 21 July 2010 - The UK Government's climate change advisers, the Climate Change Committee (CCC), states radical technologies such as blended wing aircraft and open rotor engines will be required to help meet the country's 2050 aviation emission reduction targets. As such, public funding support for the research, development and deployment (RD&D) of these technologies, in cooperation with international partners, will be necessary. The advice comes in a report published by the CCC, 'Building a low-carbon economy - the UK's innovation challenge'. The CCC also recommends the Government sets out a strategy to secure new international agreements limiting emissions from aviation. http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=878 Thu 15 July 2010 - The European SESAR Joint Undertaking (SJU) has selected 18 new projects to expand the Atlantic Interoperability Initiative to Reduce Emissions (AIRE) programme that supports flight trials and demonstrations to reduce aviation CO2 emissions from surface, terminal and oceanic flight operations. A highlight of the programme will be a series of green transatlantic flights with the Airbus A380 superjumbo involving Airbus, Air France, NATS (UK) and NAV Canada. Seven of the 18 proposals include green gate-to-gate projects, among others between France and the French West Indies. In total, some 40 partners will be involved in the 2010/11 AIRE, including 13 airlines, four airport authorities and 13 air navigation service providers (ANSPs), with the FAA and NAV Canada supporting some of the gate-to-gate projects. http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=877 Thu 15 July 2010 - Eurocontrol has released an implementation plan in time for the summer 2010 season that will lead to a reduction in flying distances for air carriers using European airspace of around 20,000 nautical miles each day by the end of the season. This will save carriers 40,000 tonnes of fuel and reduce CO2 emissions by 140,000 tonnes over a 12-month period. The plan includes 217 packages of airspace changes developed over the past year, each of which will contribute to an improved performance of European Air Traffic Management. Continuous upgrading of the route network and supporting sectorization in Europe is needed to meet the capacity and flight efficiency needs of air traffic and cater for the changing patterns of traffic flows. http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=876 Wed 14 July 2010 - British Airways, the UK's air navigation service provider NATS and BAA at London Heathrow and Edinburgh airports have joined together to operate what they describe as the UK's first 'perfect flight' last Saturday evening between the two cities. Every factor within the journey - from pushback from the stand, taxiing to an optimized flight profile and a continuous descent approach - was calibrated to achieve minimal emissions and delay. The Airbus A321 was also able to fly at its most fuel-efficient altitude for longer than usual. http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=875 Wed 14 July 2010 - Three Norwegian airports - Oslo Gardermoen, Trondheim Vaernes and Kristiansand Kjevik - have become the first in the country to join the Airport Carbon Accreditation programme. The scheme, which comprises four levels, has the long-term goal of neutralizing emissions at participating airports and 19 airports from 11 European countries have so far qualified for accreditation. Olav Mosvold Larsen, Senior Environmental Adviser for Avinor, the operator of Norway's 46 airports, says the accreditation process is demanding and involves time-consuming work on documentation. "The initial move is somewhat limited but the goal, of course, is to include more airports in the programme," he adds. http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=874 Tue 13 July 2010 - The Pacific Northwest could become a global hub for the development of aviation biofuels following the announcement of a strategic initiative by local aviation interests. Three airports - Seattle-Tacoma International, Spokane International and Portland International - as well as Alaska Airlines and Seattle-based Boeing, have agreed to fund a four-state regional assessment to look at biomass options and possible sources for creating renewable jet fuel. The six-month 'Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest' project will look at all phases of developing an aviation biofuels industry, including biomass production and harvest, refining, transport infrastructure and actual use by airlines. Camelina, grown on the Montana plains, has already been successfully trialled and shown to have promise as a viable, long-term aviation biofuel source. http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=873 Tue 13 July 2010 - Help is at hand for small aircraft operators and those with few flights to Europe who are faced with the administrative burden of complying with the monitoring and reporting provisions required by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. The European Commission has adopted a Regulation approving the use of a free-of-charge Small Emitters Tool developed by Eurocontrol that enables eligible operators to model the fuel consumption of their flights rather than requiring them to measure actual consumption of each flight. Using a simple spreadsheet, the operator enters the route length and the aircraft type, and the tool calculates fuel consumption and carbon emissions based, says Eurocontrol, on "statistically robust" fuel consumption coefficients for the majority of common aircraft types, as well as widely recognized emission factors for all other aircraft. http://www.greenaironline.com/news.php?viewStory=872 Mon 12 July 2010 - A new initiative has been launched to reduce carbon emissions from aircraft ground operations and improve local air quality and noise at major airports in the UK. The Aircraft on the Ground CO2 Reduction (AGR) Programme has been developed by BAA, the UK's largest airport operator, through the Sustainable Aviation coalition. Guidelines and practical action steps for airports, airlines, air navigation service providers and ground handling companies have been drawn up to capture best practices to cut emissions from aircraft auxiliary power units (APUs) and taxiing operations. The programme was launched at the recent Environmental Conference held by the UK Airport Operators Association (AOA).