Boeing and Clear Sky launch green partnership: Boeing and Clear Sky, an investment company dedicated to aviation sustainability, are joining forces to accelerate sustainability solutions for aviation. As an initial project, the companies will help in testing and advancing Firefly Green Fuels’ cutting-edge technology to increase sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production in the UK. Firefly transforms sewage waste feedstock into SAF through hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL). This process uses heat and high pressure to convert waste into biocrude oil and biochar, a powdery substance that can be used as a fertilizer. SAF produced from this abundant, yet untapped feedstock reduces lifecycle CO₂ emissions by more than 90% compared to traditional petroleum jet fuel, according to independent analysis. The Clear Sky-led consortium of investors and strategic partners, including Boeing, will invest in Firefly’s new technology, subject to final diligence. Boeing will provide training, direction and facilitation on testing that will accelerate the qualification of this new route to SAF. Currently SAF represents 0.1% of global jet fuel use. In the UK the pending mandate to achieve 10% SAF in the jet fuel mix by 2030 will require 1.2 million tonnes of SAF by 2030, increasing to 7 million tonnes by 2050, according to ICF’s UK Net Zero Carbon Roadmap. Boeing and Clear Sky’s investment demonstrates progress on the roadmap given the available UK sewage waste can meet a significant proportion of the UK’s SAF requirement.
RTX completes preliminary review of hybrid-electric GTF engine: RTX announced the completion of the preliminary design review for the hybrid-electric propulsion demonstrator engine being developed as part of the SWITCH project, supported by the European Union’s Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking (Clean Aviation). By combining two Collins Aerospace megawatt-class electric motor generators within a Pratt & Whitney GTF engine, the hybrid-electric propulsion system aims to enhance engine efficiency across all phases of flight, offering the potential to reduce fuel burn and emissions for future short- and medium-range aircraft. The SWITCH hybrid-electric propulsion system comprises two megawatt-class electric motor generators mounted on the low spool and high spool of the GTF engine, along with associated motor controllers, high voltage wiring and batteries. Testing of the electric powertrain is planned to take place at Collins’ state-of-the-art electric power systems development facility, The Grid, in Rockford, IL, before assembly and test of the full-scale GTF demonstrator engine. The SWITCH project (Sustainable Water Injecting Turbofan Comprising Hybrid-Electrics) is a collaborative consortium including MTU Aero Engines AG, Pratt & Whitney, Collins Aerospace, GKN Aerospace and Airbus, and aims to demonstrate the potential of hybrid-electric and water-enhanced turbofan technologies to enable improvements in aircraft fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.
Airbus and ACI World strengthen global cooperation: Airbus and Airports Council International (ACI) World association have signed a cooperation agreement to support the industry’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of aviation. This partnership leverages the strengths of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturer and the largest and most important international association of airports to make significant progress in both decarbonising aviation and mitigating aircraft noise impact. This alliance will address key areas including Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF), hydrogen technologies, advanced air mobility, operations efficiency, and aircraft noise management practices. It will foster the exchange of information and perspectives on low carbon operations, communicate industry progress, jointly develop guidance materials, and potentially formulate unified positions on policies and standards to achieve the industry targets.
Airbus and partners invest in SAF fund: Airbus, the Air France-KLM Group, Associated Energy Group, LLC, BNP Paribas, Burnham Sterling, Mitsubishi HC Capital Inc. and Qantas Airways Limited co-invested in a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) financing fund to accelerate the production of SAF. The corporate partners worked with investment manager Burnham Sterling Asset Management to establish the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Financing Alliance (SAFFA) investment fund in which Airbus is the Anchor Investor. The commitment from the seven partners is amounting to an aggregate of approx. US$200 million. Each partner brings experience and financial expertise to the fund with the ambition to accelerate the availability of SAF by investing mainly in technologically mature SAF-producing projects using for instance waste-based feedstocks. Investments will be diversified across various SAF’s production pathways and also by region. Each partner may then enter into priority contracts to secure SAF offtakes from the various projects SAFFA will invest in, for its allocated volumes. SAFFA is focusing on SAF that is eligible for RefuelEU Aviation or CORSIA certification.
Airbus to boost SAF through investment in LanzaJet: Airbus is investing in LanzaJet, a leading sustainable fuels technology company and producer, in line with its ambition to act as a catalyst for the global development of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). This investment will support the development of the Alcohol-to-Jet (ATJ) pathway, an important step required to produce SAF at scale by enabling LanzaJet to further expand its capability and capacity to scale its proprietary Ethanol to Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) process technology. LanzaJet’s technology uses low-carbon ethanol to create SAF that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 70% percent compared to fossil fuels on a lifecycle basis and can further decrease emissions with a suite of carbon reduction technologies. SAF produced through LanzaJet’s ATJ technology is an approved drop-in fuel compatible with existing aircraft engines and associated infrastructure. LanzaJet is currently starting up the world’s first commercial-scale production of ethanol-to-SAF at LanzaJet Freedom Pines Fuels. Located in the United States, the plant will be producing SAF and renewable diesel from low-carbon and sustainable ethanol and serves as a blueprint to scale SAF production. With projects spanning 25 countries and 5 continents, LanzaJet is working to scale ethanol-to-jet globally and partnering with key players across the SAF value chain.
GKN Aerospace Launches H2FlyGHT: GKN Aerospace has launched H2FlyGHT, a revolutionary £44 million project designed to develop a 2-megawatt (MW) cryogenic hydrogen-electric propulsion system. Building on the successes of the H2GEAR project, H2FlyGHT introduces cutting-edge thermal management solutions to enhance efficiency and performance. H2FlyGHT is designed to streamline the path to flight testing and certification, meeting customer needs and industry standards. The project will demonstrate an integrated propulsion system at the 2 MW scale including fuel cell power generation, cryogenic power distribution, and advanced cryogenic drive systems. GKN Aerospace is collaborating with industry and academic partners to achieve the ambitious goals of H2FlyGHT: Parker Meggitt: Collaborating on thermal management and ‘balance of plant’ for the fuel cell system, ensuring comprehensive system integration and performance; University of Manchester: Focusing on hyperconducting motor coil design, pushing the boundaries of motor technology; University of Nottingham: Supporting full motor design and scale-up and cryogenic inverter technology development, essential for developing high-power, efficient propulsion systems. Russ Dunn, CTO of GKN Aerospace, said: “The H2FlyGHT project marks a pivotal step in our quest to enable aviation’s route to netzero. Building on H2GEAR’s innovations, we are scaling up to 2 MW propulsion system demonstration to maximise the payload and range potential of zero emission flight. Collaborating with our partners, we aim to streamline the path to flight testing and certification, supporting the industry’s move to commercialise sustainable hydrogen platforms by the mid-2030s.”
Avolon partners with Airbus on hydrogen: Avolon, a leading global aviation finance company, has partnered with Airbus to support the development of hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft through Airbus’ ZEROe Project. Airbus and Avolon will investigate how future hydrogen-powered aircraft could be financed and commercialised, and how they might be supported by the leasing business model. Airbus revealed its ZEROe hydrogen powered aircraft ambition in 2020, focused on pioneering the technology required for hydrogen flight and developing the ecosystem to support it. Avolon shares Airbus’ commitment to achieving the aviation sector’s decarbonisation goals, and has a track record of being a thought leader on future technologies through its investment in eVTOL developer Vertical Aerospace, and research into Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) production. Avolon is also committed to having a fleet that comprises 75% new-technology lower emissions aircraft by the end of 2025. Paul Geaney, President and Chief Commercial Officer, Avolon, commented: “Joining the ZEROe Project is another step in Avolon’s sustainability journey, and we look forward to building on our long-standing partnership with Airbus to consider how the next generation of aircraft will be financed and commercialised. It will take a wide ecosystem of contributors to meet the challenges of hydrogen powered commercial flight, and Airbus is playing a crucial role in bringing partners together. While we continue to focus on supporting our customers in modernising their fleets with lower emissions aircraft, it is also vital we look beyond that at what can further drive our industry’s decarbonisation.”
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