May 2010 covers_Covers.qxd - World Airnews

The Search for Cleaner Skies
By: DON PARRY
THE OFFICIAL launch of the Clean Sky
JTI research programme was made
just two years ago. The Clean Sky
initiative stemmed from a European
Union (EU)-wide collaborative private/
public partnership, to encourage the full
participation of SMEs, universities and research
centres as well as leading aeronautics
manufacturers, in the programme.
Intended to last for seven years, Clean
Sky is one of Europe’s largest research
programmes, with a budget of €1,6-billion.
It represents a joint commitment
from the EU and aeronautics industry to
make air travel more sustainable, by encouraging
the aeronautics manufacturers
to develop and produce greener products.
The leading initiatives cover the
“smart” fixed wing aircraft that will deliver
active wing technologies and new aircraft
configurations. Green regional aircraft will
deliver low-weight aircraft using smart
structures, as well as low external noise
configurations (see World Airnews,
January 2007) and the integration of
other technologies such as engines,
energy management and new system
architectures.
Green rotorcraft will deliver innovative
rotor blades and engine installation for
noise reduction, lower airframe drag, integration
of Diesel engine technology and
advanced electrical systems for elimination
of noxious hydraulic fluids and fuel
consumption reduction.
Sustainable and “Green engines” will
design and build five engine demonstrators
to integrate technologies for low
noise and lightweight low pressure systems,
high efficiency, low NOx and low
weight cores and novel configurations
such as open rotors and intercoolers.
Current targets are for 50% reduction
of CO2 emissions, through drastic reduction
of fuel consumption, 80% reduction
of NOx (nitrogen oxide) emissions and a
50% reduction of external noise
Systems for Green Operations will focus
on all-electrical aircraft equipment and
systems architectures, thermal
management, capabilities for “green”
trajectories and mission and improved
ground operations to give any aircraft the
capability to fully exploit the benefits of
the “Single European Sky”.
Eco-Design will focus on green design
and production, withdrawal, and recycling
20 WORLD AIRNEWS, MAY 2010.
Heathrow Airport, NATS (UK air traffic services provider), Singapore Airlines and Airbus
have launched an improved departure procedure for the Airbus A380, saving even more
fuel, emitting even less CO2 and remaining within the airport’s strict noise procedures. This
new procedure saves an additional 300 kg of fuel per flight, equating to one metric tonne of
emissions of CO2 on a flight to Singapore, as well as reducing NOx emissions.
of aircraft, by optimal use of raw materials
and energies thus improving the environmental
impact of the whole products life
cycle and accelerating compliance with
the REACH directive.
ALTERNATIVE FUELS
Engine manufacturers have a particularly
tough challenge. Not only do they have to
reduce chemical and noise pollutants, but
attempt to be ever more fuel efficient and
even adapt their products to the currently
fashionable “alternative” fuels.
Several flights, included revenue ones,
have already been carried out with these
fuels. Research is constantly seeking different
base products to turn into fuel in a
modern version of the philosopher’s stone.
In Germany, Deutsches Zentrum fuer
Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) suggests that
designer fuels based on coal, natural gas
and sustainable biomass could, in the future,
replace kerosene in aviation. In the
search for alternatives to crude oil, DLR
has been conducting research into new
synthetic fuels for aviation for several
years. Current results show that the future
fuels may even be superior to
kerosene with regard to environmental
friendliness and engine reliability.
In the United States, experiments by
scientists at the Defence Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA) are claiming
that they could be producing jet fuel
from algae at competitive prices by next
year. Reportedly, DARPA researchers have
already produced oil from algae in ponds
at a cost of about $2 per gallon and could
be mass-producing as much as 50-million
gallons a year in 2011.
In something of a recent surprise move,
British Airways, in partnership with the
Solena Group, is to establish Europe’s first
sustainable jet-fuel plant and plans to use
the low-carbon fuel to power part of its
fleet from 2014. The new fuel will be derived
from waste biomass and manufactured
in a facility that can convert a
variety of waste materials, usually destined
for landfill, into aviation fuel.
The self-contained plant, likely to be
sited in east London, will convert 500 000
tonnes of waste per year into 16-million
gallons of green jet fuel, through a process
that offers lifecycle greenhouse gas savings
of up to 95% compared with fossilfuel
derived jet kerosene.
Following trials with a jatropha-seed-oil
biofuel blend, instead of straight Jet A, Air
New Zealand aims to fulfil 10% of its fuel
requirements with alternative sources by
2013.
Amid all the excitement it has to be
noted that some analysts consider improvements
in engine technology to be
the better bet, rather than alternative
fuels. Although some airline routes could
be serviced with these fuels relatively
soon, it will take considerably longer to introduce
the assurance of global supplies
and support. This considers also a scenario
where oil prices remain in the anticipated
$80 to $110 per barrel range for
the next three years.