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New propulsion technologies reduce aircraft emissions
By Volker K. Thomalla
The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has published its latest report on the change in global climate. They confirm what researchers were predicting some years ago, namely that the earth is warming up as a result of man-made emissions. CO2 emissions in particular are held responsible for this effect by the researchers. Only a rapid, single-minded and sustained show of strength by all the nations can prevent global temperatures from rising to the point where large parts of the world can no longer support human life. The time remaining for us to act is no longer measured in decades but in years.
Some fanatics have been quick to point the finger at aviation. But this is simply not justified by the facts. Global air transport consumes only three percent of all fossil fuels. 97 percent are burned by other users, whether means of transport, power generation companies or heat producers. This means that even if all aircraft were to cease to fly tomorrow, it would have no measurable impact on global warming! But the absence of air links would create many, many other problems for the world. This only goes to show how important it is to work with facts and to seek a solution to the problem in the places where a quantifiable effect is feasible.
But this requirement does not comply with the St Florian principle of “Spare my house and burn someone else's”. On the contrary: aviation must not sit back on its laurels and do nothing. It too must make its own measurable contribution towards emission reduction. Growth in air travel and the release of emissions must be decoupled from one another and must not be allowed to rise in parallel. This is actually happening, too: every new generation of aircraft is more fuel-efficient than the last since in air transport ecology and economy often go hand-in-hand. If consumption can be reduced, so too can costs. Fleet fuel consumption will fall still further when the new Boeing 787, A380 and A350XWB enter into service.
Aviation has learned from past mistakes and today attaches a lot of importance to environmental protection. And visibly as well: today's engines no longer give off smoke as was customary in the 1970s. And in the area of noise pollution, a lot of progress has been made, especially in Europe. Loud aircraft are simply no longer allowed to land here.
When it comes to CO2 emissions, the call for reduction has gone out to not only the aircraft makers but especially the engine manufacturers. But in fact it is in their own interests to work on this. When airlines purchase new engines, economy and environmental neutrality are extremely important factors in the purchase decision. On the other hand, new propulsion technologies which are under development today will not find their way into aircraft overnight. They have to be just as reliable and safe as today's systems. Lower fuel consumption or reduced emissions at the expense of safety is simply not acceptable.
From page 6 of FLUG REVUE 6/2007
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