The airline industry is 0% emission CO2
By Amandine AMBREGNI
VANCOUVER (AFP) - The airline industry announced this week in Vancouver (Canada) its intention to be "greener" by presenting a target of "0% CO2 emissions" which, however, arouses some skepticism.
"I do not have the answers, but I am sure that research can find solutions to reach this 0% within 50 years. It is realistic," said the boss of the Air Transport Association (IATA) , Giovanni Bisignani at the assembly held in Vancouver.
For him, respect for the environment is the new priority for the sector now that it has returned to profits (5 billion dollars expected in 2007), after several years of losses.
But skepticism has spread in the corridors of the general assembly on this goal of "0%", against the backdrop of rapidly expanding air traffic.
"With the prospect of continuously growing air traffic, between tourism for aging populations in OECD countries, emerging markets and business travel linked to globalization, we have enough to have a cold sweat", acknowledged New York University (NYU) researcher Michael Levine.
The sector aims by 2020 to reduce fuel consumption by 25% via existing means such as optimizing the use of engines in flight and on the ground. However, the annual contribution of global civil aviation to global CO2 emissions will drop from 2%, or 500 million tonnes, to 3% at the same time.
Going to 0%, "that does not make sense", according to Mr. Levine, nor for the boss of Malaysian Airlines Idris Jala, who "does not believe in it from a technological point of view".
IATA is betting on scientific advances, on the efforts of carriers and on public authorities - governments, regulators, United Nations - to impose international standards, or even create a market for CO2 emissions for the sector.
“Achieving 0% CO2 emissions means having a carbon-free fuel, that is to say a hydrogen engine,” explains Trung Ngo, communications director for the Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier.
"The hydrogen engine, that of rockets and which requires huge tanks, has already been tested in the 80s. It is technically viable, but the problem still unresolved to this day is storage, it needs a larger compression of hydrogen ".
As for bio-fuels, which will not reach "0%" of CO2, the problem remains: "fields the size of Florida would be needed to cover 10% of the needs of American carriers", recognizes Philippe Rochat, at the head of the Environment division of IATA.
Hence the urgency of funding research, according to the latter, which advocates investments both public and private.
At present, "the solutions are intermediate", explains Mr. Ngo: the engine manufacturers are working on alternative systems, more economical than the current "turbo fan" type engine.
"The most successful technology is that of + geared fan +, developed by Pratt and Whitney", according to this trained engineer. "It promises an efficiency of 30 to 40% higher than current engines", but is not yet on the market.
On the aircraft side, composite materials make it possible to lighten the weight of airplanes, improve their resistance in the air and therefore reduce fuel consumption.
According to IATA, "an airplane today consumes an average of 3,5 liters per 100km per passenger, which is equivalent to the consumption of a compact vehicle, but with a transport speed six times higher".
The future Boeing 787, which claims to be the most economical on the market and incorporates many composite materials, should lower this average consumption under 3 liters.
sources: Yahoo News
Do you want my opinion ?
To achieve this goal, there is only one solution: nail to the ground all the "heavier than air" items (André won't like that ...) and start doing real research on airships ...