Page 18 - PARIS AIRSHOW 2023 INSIGHT | GBP

out a flight test demonstrator programme
on an Airbus A380 during the second half of
this decade, to validate the open-fan engine
architecture. A half-scale model of the open-
fan architecture is on display at the ongoing
event.
According to industry experts, the most viable
pathway available currently for reducing emis-
sions is increasing the industry’s use of SAF,
which can substitute as a drop-in replace-
ment for conventional jet fuel. While battery
weight and size constraints limit the use of
eVTOLs to short-haul markets, hydrogen-pow- see encouraging developments across the globe with production
ered passenger aircraft is, at best, at least at ramp-up, policy support and airlines and corporates using SAF
least a decade away. There is however signs to reduce their emissions.”
of promise in this area; in March this year,
US-based startup Universal Hydrogen suc- Greening Aviation
cessfully tested a De Havilland Dash 8-300
turboprop powered by hydrogen fuel cells The industry’s focus on reducing emissions is in plain sight at the
during 15 minutes at an altitude of 3,500 feet show. Boeing, which has unveiled several green aviation initiatives
or roughly 1 kilometer. The plane featured recently, is demonstrating its “Cascade” Climate Impact Model, a
one normal engine and one electric motor fed data-modeling tool made available to the public earlier this year
by a hydrogen fuel cell. to provide actionable insights towards the aviation industry’s
goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. The company is also unveiling
The SAF Conundrum a new tool that tracks sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) capacity
around the world and will provide an update on delivering 100
There is surging demand for SAF from air- percent SAF-compatible airplanes by 2030. The aerospace giant’s
lines, but with supply not anywhere close to sustainability initiatives include a research project with MIT to
meeting demand, governments have started help decarbonize aerospace, a partnership with Alder Fuels to
to step in, some with mandates and others scale SAF globally, and a purchase of 2 million gallons of SAF in
with incentives. The European Union’s new 2022 for its commercial airplane operations.
ReFuelEU law stipulates that, from 2025, all
flights departing from an EU airport will be Embraer’s green aviation initiatives include increased use of SAF
obliged to uplift a minimum share of (SAF), in its operations; all its flights during the show will be powered
starting at 2 percent in 2025. In 2030, the per- by SAF blend. It plans to implement 25 percent sustainable avi-
centage will rise to 6 percent, and gradually ation fuel (SAF) use in its operations by 2040 and 100 percent
to 70 percent by 2050. According to a study renewable energy sources by 2030. Last year, the Pratt & Whitney
conducted as part of theReFuelEU Aviation GTF-powered E195-E2 was successfully tested on 100 percent SAF
initiative, with the introduction of a SAF blend- last year. The E2 family of jets is targeted to be compatible with
ing mandate, demand for aviation fuel at EU 100 percent SAF before 2030. The Brazilian plane maker’s Energia
airports would amount to around 46 million project explores a range of sustainable concepts to carry up to
50 passengers. After unveiling four concepts, the company has
tonnes in 2030. In order to reach 5 percent of decided to focus on 19 and 30 seater designs for hybrid-electric
SAF by 2030 for all flights departing from EU and hydrogen-electric propulsion.
airports, approximately 2.3 million tonnes of
SAF would be required. Currently, the maxi- Airbus is in Paris with the EcoPulse hybrid-electric aircraft, a
mum potential SAF production capacity in the Distributed Hybrid-Electric Propulsion aircraft demonstra-
EU is estimated at around 0.24 million tonnes, tor jointly developed by it, Daher and Safran. The technology
which is only 10 percent of the amount of demonstrator’s first flight will take place later this year. In March
SAF required to meet the proposed mandate this year, an A321neo took off from Airbus’ headquarters in
by 2030. Toulouse, France with both of its engines powered by 100 per-
cent unblended SAF. Airbus’ partners in the VOLCAN project are
“The reality is that we still have a long way to Safran and Dassault Aviation, along with the ONERA aeronau-
go, and we need the whole industry, includ- tics research laboratory and the French Ministry of Transport.
ing airlines, airports, OEMs, fuel producers Currently, all Airbus commercial and military aircraft, as well as
and governments, to accelerate SAF produc- helicopters, can fly with an up to a 50 percent blend of SAF. The
tion,” says Jonathan Wood, Vice President goal is to ensure 100 percent SAF capability by 2030 of these
Commercial and Technical Management aircraft types. The European aerospace company is also work-
at the Renewable Aviation business unit at ing on hydrogen-powered concepts for future aircraft and has
Neste, the largest SAF producer in the world. committed to having a hydrogen-powered jet ready for entry
“It is difficult to look into the future, but we into service by 2035.

18 | PARIS AIRSHOW 2023 INSIGHT ∙ JUNE 2023 WWW.GBP.COM.SG