Airbus and Air Canada sign research agreement to develop advanced aviation biofuels solutions in Canada Mon 20 May 2013 - Airbus and Air Canada have signed an agreement with BioFuelNet, a not-for-profit biofuels research organisation hosted by Montreal's McGill University. BioFuelNet will assess the viability of various Canadian advanced biofuels solutions for aviation with the long-term goal to supply Air Canada with sustainable alternative jet fuel. The research will focus on diverse raw materials such as municipal solid waste and agriculture and forestry waste, as well as a range of conversion processes available for biofuel production, to determine which advanced biofuels are the most sustainable for aviation. BioFuelNet, which brings together 74 leading researchers, was launched in 2012 as part of the Canadian Federal Networks of Centres of Excellence programme and is funded through a C$25 million grant over five years. Read more ...
UK parliament transport committee rejects new airport hub proposals and calls for expansion of Heathrow Mon 20 May 2013 - The expansion of Heathrow, with the addition of at least a third runway, is the best way of meeting the demand for increased airport capacity in the UK, according to the House of Commons' Transport Select Committee. In its Aviation Strategy report, the Committee rejects the idea of constructing a new hub airport, partly on environmental grounds but largely because of commercial considerations. However, it sees the presence of a strong hub airport as vital for the UK's economic growth and believes the development of Heathrow is long overdue. On the other side of the debate, the environmental group WWF and the London Assembly have cast doubt on the need for airport expansion. The operator of Heathrow, meanwhile, has put forward its own proposals for short and medium term measures to improve reliability and reduce noise. Read more ...
The aviation sector must act now to adapt and build resilience to climate change risks, advises Eurocontrol study Sun 12 May 2013 - The European aviation sector will need to build climate resilience while dealing with growth in demand, with some regions where the highest rates of growth are expected are also areas which may experience the most severe impacts of climate change. Although a growing number of actors within the sector are already taking comprehensive adaptation steps, many organisations have yet to consider this issue, finds a study by Eurocontrol. Changes to temperature, precipitation and storm patterns are all expected in the near-term, certainly by 2030, warns the body responsible for European air navigation safety. The sector must prepare for the effects of heavy precipitation events, larger and more powerful storms, and changes in prevailing wind direction. Hurricane Sandy, which hit the East Coast of the USA in 2012, grounded nearly 17,000 flights, representing eight to nine per cent of global capacity, and losing the industry around half a billion dollars. Read more ...
Global carbon footprinting data on international aviation emissions aims to support ICAO climate change options Thu 9 May 2013 - A report examining the global carbon footprint of scheduled international airline passenger operations in 2012 has been published as a data resource to assist deliberations at ICAO on options for addressing the issue of market-based measures (MBMs). Compiled by former Australian government transport official and aviation carbon footprinting expert Dave Southgate, the detailed analysis presents carbon computations by ICAO regions, as well as the highest emitting airlines, airports and countries. The application of MBMs to manage the growth of international aviation emissions has proved a highly complex process. If this debate is to be informed it will be necessary for the participants to have access to carbon footprinting information that allows them to understand the potential impacts of the options under consideration, says Southgate. Read more ...
Norwegian aviation industry sees potential in local production of sustainable jet fuels from forest biomass Tue 7 May 2013 – A report commissioned by Norwegian airport operator Avinor, along with airlines SAS and Norwegian, and the Federation of Norwegian Aviation Industries, concludes that cost-competitive, large-scale production of sustainable aviation biofuels could be viable in the country between 2020 and 2025. The assessment of land-based and marine feedstock in Norway shows that forest biomass is the most important feedstock on a near-term basis, with micro and macroalgae resources most probably not available in large volumes before 2025. The report, conducted by Ramboll, considers two processes most suitable within the timeframe for a Norwegian value chain: Fischer-Tropsch (FT) thermochemical processing and gasification of forest biomass, and the refining of bio-alcohols to Jet A-1 fuel (ATJ). Read more ...
Lufthansa Cargo focuses on improving environmental performance and calls for greater emissions transparency in logistics Fri 3 May 2013 - Lufthansa Cargo used its recent Cargo Climate Care Conference to highlight progress towards its emissions reduction target and to call for greater transparency in environmental performance across the logistics sector. The carrier believes it is on course to meet its commitment to cut CO2 emissions per tonne-kilometre of freight by 25 per cent by 2020, based on 2005 levels. At the same time, it urged other cargo operators and the logistics industry in general to be more transparent about emissions data so that environmental performance could play a greater role in transport decisions in the future. It also used the conference to present awards to staff and customers who had made notable contributions to environmental protection. Read more ...
UK aviation industry launches noise roadmap and pledges noise will not increase despite doubling of flights Wed 1 May 2013 - Government forecasts estimate air traffic movements will nearly double over the next 40 years at UK airports yet an aviation industry report suggests during this period aircraft noise can be reduced by an average of up to 20 per cent. This can be achieved through aircraft innovations and engine technology, operational advancements and better land-use planning, says Sustainable Aviation (SA), a group that brings together the main players from UK airlines, airports and manufacturers to find solutions to the sustainability challenge. Noise output could decrease by over 40 per cent, it says, if aircraft and engine design was driven by noise alone rather than a requirement for fuel efficiency improvements and emissions reductions. SA has launched a Noise Road-Map to assist industry in further developing noise reduction measures and strategies, and help spread best practice. Read more ...
Virgin Australia and SkyNRG announce feasibility study to develop Australia's first sustainable jet fuel bioport Wed 1 May 2013 - Sustainable jet fuel supplier SkyNRG and Virgin Australia have joined forces with Brisbane Airport Corporation to investigate the potential of setting up Australia's first bioport. The three parties have agreed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will see them working together towards the ultimate goal of enabling aircraft to be fuelled with sustainable jet biofuel at Brisbane, Australia's third largest airport. The feasibility study, which is expected to take 12 months to complete, will research locally available feedstocks in Queensland, sustainable and cost-effective methods for transporting them, and the most appropriate technology for converting them into biofuel. Read more ...
As ‘stop the clock’ passes into law, EU piles on the pressure for a meaningful ICAO agreement on MBMs Tue 30 Apr 2013 - An agreement in principle on a framework to allow states and regions to immediately implement market-based measures (MBMs), together with a roadmap and timetable towards a global mechanism, are essential EU requirements from the ICAO Assembly in September, according to Jos Delbeke, Director General of the European Commission's climate directorate and the EU's chief representative in the ICAO negotiating process. He added the EU would also like to see more ambitious ICAO goals on technology and operational measures. Delbeke was speaking at a Brussels seminar organised by Peter Liese, the European Parliament's rapporteur on the inclusion of aviation into the EU ETS. Aviation industry representative Paul Steele told the seminar the sector wanted a single global MBM and not a "free for all" framework that allowed every state to implement its own measure. Read more ... 1 opinion posted
Corporate clothing company targets air travel industry with new eco-friendly collection Thu 18 Apr 2013 - UK corporate clothing company Lyn Oakes has launched an environmentally-friendly clothing collection designed for the air travel industry. The garments in the ‘Eco Collection’ are made using 100 per cent wool or poly-wool that is derived from natural, sustainable and renewable sources. All interlinings are either viscose – a biodegradable silk-like material made with pine wood pulp from re-cultivated forests – or made from recycled plastic bottles. The buttons are made from the Corozo nut, which is found inside a large fruit that grows on the Tagua Palms of Ecuador. In line with the company’s other clothing, the collection is tailored, allowing airline brands the opportunity to have the garments developed to suit their particular requirements of style and colour. Read more ...
Aviation in a carbon-constrained world: 2050 scenarios for long-haul tourism Tue 16 Apr 2013 - Tourism and its 'midwife', aviation, are exposed to various global uncertainties. The basic dilemma is that unconstrained growth in aviation emissions will not be compatible with 2050 climate stabilisation goals, and that the stringency and timing of public policy interventions to control aviation emissions could have far-reaching consequences - either on the market for future growth or the natural ecosystem on which tourism depends. With a 2050 horizon, Shaun Vorster considers the impact of the evolving global climate change regime on long-haul tourism (LHT) in a scenario-building exercise informed by the principal driving forces of carbon constraints and the long-term decarbonisation of aviation. He identifies three possible outcomes over the next 40 years, from an optimistic 'green lantern' scenario to a devastating 'grim reaper' worst case. Read more ...
IATA promotes aviation environment lead Paul Steele to head up the association's advocacy activities Mon 15 Apr 2013 - As part of a wide-ranging restructuring of its divisions and management structure, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has promoted its Director of Aviation Environment, Paul Steele, to Senior Vice President, Member and External Relations (MER). The division will primarily take responsibility for IATA's advocacy activities. Steele is currently responsible for guiding the association’s environment strategy worldwide and is also Executive Director of the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), a cross-industry body that promotes sustainable aviation. Prior to joining IATA in December 2007, he served as Chief Operating Officer of WWF International, with previous senior management roles with the Virgin Trading Company, the Hilton Hotel Group and Pepsi Cola. Read more ...
Hedegaard sets out conditions on ICAO agreement as EU legislators approve EU ETS 'stop the clock' measure Wed 17 Apr 2013 - The European Parliament (EP) yesterday voted by a large majority in favour of the 'stop the clock' proposal that will temporarily halt the inclusion of intercontinental flights in the EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) for a period of one year to allow ICAO member states agree a market-based mechanism to limit the growth of international aviation emissions. The EP's rapporteur on the Commission proposal, Peter Liese, said there had been progress in ICAO and the EU wanted to support the negotiations but warned that a substantive agreement, "not just hot air or empty promises", would be expected from the ICAO Assembly in September or the clock would be restarted in full. By contrast, the 'backloading' proposal by the European Commission aimed at propping up the ailing price of carbon was narrowly rejected by MEPs, which could have far-reaching consequences for the EU ETS. Read more ...
US government pledges further support for aviation biofuels development with new five-year agreement Tue 16 Apr 2013 - Following what it describes as the initial success of the 2010-2012 'Farm to Fly' initiative, the United States Department of Agriculture has announced it is extending its agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration and commercial aviation interests for a further five years. The partners are aiming to support the production of one billion gallons of drop-in aviation biofuel by 2018. The renewed focus will be on future goals such as designating personnel, evaluating current and potential feedstock types and systems, developing multiple feedstock supply chains, developing state and local public-private teams, communicating results and issuing periodic reports. The agreement was signed by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Read more ...
Blended wing body design shows environmental promise as NASA completes flight testing of Boeing prototype Tue 16 Apr 2013 - NASA has concluded an eight-month programme of 30 test flights using Boeing's X-48C subscale prototype. The 'C' version of the aircraft was specifically intended to assess the low-speed performance and stability of a noise-reducing configuration of the Blended Wing Body (BWB) design. The BWB concept has been developed by Boeing in support of NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) programme, which aims to progress technologies that will contribute to cleaner and quieter commercial aircraft in the future. During the test flights, the remote controlled X-48C, which weighs 500 pounds (227kg) and has a wingspan of about 20ft (6m), flew at speeds of up to 140mph (225kph) and altitudes reaching 10,000 feet (3048m). Read more ...
HungaroControl develops new software to assist management of cleaner and quieter arrival procedures Mon 15 Apr 2013 - HungaroControl, the provider of air navigation services in Hungary, has developed software it believes will help facilitate the implementation of CO2-reducing continuous descent approach (CDA) procedures across Europe. It says its MergeStrip program automatically performs calculations that will allow air traffic controllers to manage multiple, simultaneous CDAs into an airport with minimal interventions. The result is that arriving aircraft are able to fly along a constantly descending path into an airport rather than being required to level off at intervals by ATC. In its 2009 CDA action plan, Eurocontrol hoped that successful Europe-wide introduction of such procedures would save 500,000 tonnes of CO2 annually. Read more ...
ICAO to work with Indonesian government to manage and reduce emissions from fast-growing air transport sector Thu 11 Apr 2013 - The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is to partner with the Indonesian government on a large-scale project that aims to manage and reduce emissions from the country's air transport sector. The Environmental Measures Project, jointly overseen by the Indonesian Ministry of Transport and ICAO's Technical Co-Operation Bureau (TCB), sets a broad range of objectives, including improved legislation on emissions, more efficient airspace design and the promotion of alternative fuels initiatives. Commercial aviation in Indonesia, a country of more than 240 million people, is currently experiencing rapid growth. Airports Council International reports the country's main airport in Jakarta experienced a 12 per cent increase in passenger numbers from 2011 to 2012 to over 57 million. Read more ...
Emirates pledges $150,000 funding from recycling programme to support environmental or conservation projects Mon 8 Apr 2013 - Emirates has announced its 'A Greener Tomorrow' initiative that aims to support environmental or conservation projects by established not-for-profit organisations. Funding of up to $150,000 has been raised through internal recycling programmes across the Emirates Group, which recycles more than 5 million kg of materials across various programmes in Dubai, including an innovative initiative to recycle tonnes of obsolete aircraft chinaware into an oyster bed. The airline group is already involved in conservation and eco-tourism projects in Dubai and Australia. Under the new initiative, organisations are invited to submit proposals describing their project, the deliverables and the impact to the local environment, and will be considered by a cross-company committee within Emirates. Applications must be submitted by April 25. Read more ...
UK government's aviation strategy supports action on emissions and noise but stays silent on airport capacity expansion Fri 5 Apr 2013 - The maintenance of the UK's standing as a leading international air transport hub and the mitigation of the aviation sector's environmental impacts are among the key goals set out by the British government in its Aviation Policy Framework. Released by the Department for Transport, the document consolidates existing policies and outlines new objectives as it seeks to ensure the growth of an industry that provides £10 billion ($15bn) in UK economic output whilst simultaneously reducing the effects of its emissions and noise pollution. However, despite a strong focus on both economic and environmental issues, the Framework avoids the contentious issue of airport capacity expansion in the UK, which has led to criticism from both industry and environmentalists. Read more ...
Airlines must commit to using biofuels that have been certified to internationally recognised standards, says NRDC report Thu 21 March 2013 - Although the entry of airlines into the biofuel marketplace is a significant step in the right direction, the sustainability of this development is of critical importance, says the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). The US environmental group argues that the aviation industry has a responsibility to use biofuels that are certified as sustainable because the sector's buying power has the potential to reshape the supply chain and avoid the use of poorly sourced biofuels that drive deforestation and food insecurity. To assess airlines' commitment to sustainability, the NRDC has just released its inaugural survey that provides analysis focused on airlines that have used, or say they are planning to use, biofuels in their operations. Despite the sector's pledge of support and recognition of the internationally recognised Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels (RSB) standard, NRDC concludes that airlines must now commit to applying RSB certification, or another equivalent standard, in their aviation biofuel sourcing. Read more ...
UK government and aerospace industry commit $3 billion towards research into cleaner, quieter aircraft Tue 19 March 2013 - In an effort to secure the UK's fragile position as the world’s second-largest aerospace sector after the United States, the UK government has announced an Aerospace Industrial Strategy that will see £2 billion ($3bn) invested over the next seven years equally between government and industry. The funding will go into research and development in four key areas of modern aircraft in which the UK is already particularly strong: wings, engines, aerostructures and advanced systems. Underpinning the strategy will be the setting up of a UK Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) that will allow industry and academic researchers to develop technology for the next generation of quieter, more energy efficient aircraft and secure in the UK the R&D activity necessary to win work on future aircraft programmes. Read more ...
Anger and confusion as many aircraft operators fail to understand 'stop the clock' or open vital registry accounts Mon 18 March 2013 - The European Commission's EU ETS 'stop the clock' proposal may have been welcome news for airlines flying intercontinental journeys to and from Europe but it has created confusion and anger amongst many smaller operators over their compliance obligations. The competent authorities of the EU member states are also experiencing headaches as a large number of operators they administer have yet to inform them whether they intend to derogate their extra-EU/EEA flights and return their allowances. Of greater importance, with the April 30 deadline a little over a month away for surrendering allowances on their 2012 intra-EU flights, many operators have still not opened registry accounts, a complex and lengthy process that is the only means of doing so. There is a mandatory fine of 100 euros ($130) per tonne of CO2 for non-compliance. Meanwhile, the UK government has started a two-week consultation on the 'stop the clock' proposal, which is currently in the final stages of the EU co-decision process and expected to be agreed by mid-April. Read more ... 1 opinion posted
KLM plans drive-down of jet biofuel price premium as it starts regular series of biofuel transatlantic flights Mon 18 March 2013 - The Boeing 777-200 flight between New York JFK and Amsterdam Schiphol on March 8 not only marked the start of the first-ever series of regular biofuel-powered intercontinental flights but also an important milestone in KLM's aim of regular use of sustainable jet fuel blends at costs becoming increasingly comparable to the fossil fuel equivalent. The airline will run weekly flights every Thursday until August using a blend made up of 20 per cent used cooking oil derived fuel from Dynamics Fuel and supplied by SkyNRG, a company it set up in 2009. Other partners in the flight series include Schiphol Group, Delta Air Lines and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The flights make up a programme called 'Optimal Flight' that will continue through 2013 and includes research and testing in cooperation with Boeing of air traffic management procedures. Read more ...
Nobel prize-winning US economists urge Obama to support carbon pricing in global negotiations on aviation emissions Fri 15 March 2013 - A group of 32 leading US economists, including eight Nobel Prize winners, have written an open letter to President Obama urging him to advance proposals at ICAO for a global market-based measure that would effectively and efficiently reduce greenhouse gas aviation emissions. They say that good economic policy forces those who pollute to pay for the damage they do and pricing carbon in the aviation sector would incentivise investment and operational changes. In the long run it will be in aviation's interest as well as that of all society, they conclude, to use the price mechanism to efficiently allocate over time at least cost to the industry the uncertain remaining capacity of the atmosphere to safely absorb emissions. The next meeting of the high-level group (HGCC) negotiating the issue at ICAO will start in just over a week's time (March 25-27) and strong progress will be required if an ambitious agreement is to be reached by the ICAO Assembly in October. Read more ...
SkyNRG becomes the first sustainable jet biofuel supplier to achieve industry-approved RSB certification Thu 7 March 2013 - Sustainable jet fuel company SkyNRG has become the first to offer airlines biofuels that have been certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels, an international multi-stakeholder standards initiative backed by the aviation industry. A guiding principle laid down by the sector is that jet biofuels must not compete with food and water resources and the RSB certification process is intended to ensure the entire length of the supply chain, from 'feedstock to flight', is audited to ensure strict sustainability criteria are met. Dutch-based SkyNRG says it is now the only fuel operator in the world that can deliver RSB certified renewable jet fuel at any airport in the world. As market leader, the company has supplied more than 20 aviation customers on five continents with fuels blended from used cooking oil. Read more ...
NASA project seeks to assess biofuel environmental performance at altitude and impact on contrails formation Thu 7 March 2013 - A team of NASA researchers has begun a programme of flight tests that will compare the environmental impacts from emissions and contrails of a blended fuel containing 50 per cent biofuel against those from conventional jet fuel. The project, titled the Alternative Fuel Effects on Contrails and Cruise Emissions - or ACCESS for short, also aims to provide a greater understanding about contrails formation in general, to allow for a better assessment of the potential environmental benefits of aviation biofuels. It builds on NASA's past research into alternative aviation fuels that focused on ground-based emissions tests on fuels from a variety of sources. The flight testing is being carried out at the administration's Dryden facility in California using a DC-8 aircraft. Read more ...
Study finds technology and biofuels will not be enough to meet aviation carbon targets without emissions trading Wed 6 March 2013 - The aviation industry regards market-based measures (MBMs) as a temporary fix in achieving the carbon-neutral growth (CNG) goal from 2020 onwards until the benefits of new technology and operational advances, together with the uptake of sustainable biofuels, are realised. However, a new study by Prof David Lee of Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) concludes that CNG through to 2050 cannot be achieved without MBMs such as emissions trading playing a permanent role. The study attempts to quantify the likely mitigation effects of future technology, operational gains and the impact of biofuels against a backdrop of a fast-growing aviation sector. Lee says the study can help inform the current ICAO negotiations, which are moving into an important phase with the next meeting of government officials making up the High-level Group on International Aviation and Climate Change (HGCC) taking place March 25-27. Read more ...
IATA says compromises will be required by the airline industry in sharing the burden of carbon-neutral growth Thu 28 Feb 2013 - IATA has called on governments to agree to a global approach on market-based measures (MBMs) and to align with the industry in helping achieve its environmental targets. As MBMs would be only a temporary measure, attention was also needed on the other pillars of the industry's strategy, particularly on sustainable biofuels development and air traffic management efficiency, IATA Director General Tony Tyler told delegates to the Greener Skies conference in Hong Kong this week. He said compromises would be required within the industry on sharing the billion-dollar MBM costs required to meet carbon-neutral growth from 2020. Speaking at the same conference, Wei Zhenzhong, Secretary General of the China Air Transport Association (CATA), said he welcomed the EU’s ‘stop the clock’ decision on the EU ETS but reiterated that Chinese carriers will continue to observe government instructions on not complying in any way with the directive. Read more ...
EU ETS ‘stop the clock’ proposal passes crucial test in the European Parliament but faces legal challenges from European airlines Wed 27 Feb 2013 - The European Commission's 'stop the clock' proposal to temporarily suspend the inclusion of intercontinental flights from the EU ETS has moved an important step forward as MEPs on the all-important Environment Committee of the European Parliament unanimously voted in support of the measure. The proposal was announced last November to allow ICAO states to reach a global agreement on market-based measures. However, the MEPs said the derogation should apply for a maximum of one year and only prolonged if "clear and sufficient" progress was made. Although the move has been largely welcomed by the airline industry, the trade association representing low-fare European airlines, ELFAA, revealed last week at the Aviation Carbon 2013 conference that it was preparing to take legal action if the proposal was formally adopted on the grounds that a partial suspension was discriminatory against the intra-EU carriers that remain in the scheme. Willie Walsh, one of Europe's leading airline chiefs, said the EU's Climate Commissioner had lost all credibility over the international dispute. Read more ...
ICAO committee agrees a new global noise standard and certification procedures to support a new aircraft CO2 standard Tue 26 Feb 2013 - Progress towards the adoption of a CO2 standard for new aircraft has taken a step further with an agreement on certification procedures by ICAO's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP). Last July, CAEP reached the first milestone on the standard by agreeing a metric system that can be used to characterise the CO2 emissions from aircraft of varying types and technologies. The committee has also reached consensus on adopting a new noise standard that is 7EPNdB below ICAO's current standard and will come into force for new-design aircraft from the end of 2017 and after 2020 for lower weight aircraft below 55 tonnes. The EPNdB is a measure of human annoyance due to aircraft noise, taking into account the perceived noise level and duration, explains ICAO. Both agreements have been welcomed by the aviation industry. Read more ...
British Airways joins industry leaders in initiative to accelerate development of advanced biofuels in Europe Fri 8 Feb 2013 - British Airways has joined a European industry project to speed up the deployment of advanced sustainable biofuels in Europe. The 'Leaders of Sustainable Biofuels' initiative was launched in Brussels this week and BA will join with biofuel technology companies Chemtex, BTG Biomass Technology, Chemrec, Clariant, DONG Energy and UPM to support and ensure the market uptake of advanced sustainable fuels in all EU transport sectors. With the EU requiring 10 per cent of all fuels to come from alternative sources by 2020, the group believes second-generation biofuels are a key part of the solution and can reduce GHG emissions by at least 65 per cent. First generation fuels, made from corn, wheat, soy or palm provide by contrast only modest reductions in GHGs and can push up food prices, they say. Read more ...
The underwater shark provides inspiration for green innovation in the sky as Lufthansa conducts surface tests Thu 7 Feb 2013 - The first deliveries of new Airbus A320 aircraft fitted with Sharklet wingtip devices have started arriving at airlines. Airbus promises fuel burn and emissions reductions of up to four per cent and the manufacturer reports strong demand from customers for the Sharklet, an option on new A320 family aircraft and a standard fitting on the A320neo family, due to enter service in late 2015, which will contribute along with new-generation engines to an overall 15 per cent saving in fuel and reduction in CO2 emissions. Sharklets derive their name from the shape of a shark's fin and the aerodynamics of the predatory animal have provided aerospace engineers with a further innovation to reduce aircraft drag. Airbus has joined forces with Lufthansa Technik and Fraunhofer IFAM to carry out a research project to harness the riblet effect in sharks on aircraft surfaces, and results so far indicate this technology could reduce fuel consumption by over one per cent. Read more ...
Brazilian sustainable jet biofuel plans boosted by promise of a new generation of jatropha hybrid crops Tue 5 Feb 2013 - Once touted as a wonder-crop that would become a staple feedstock for jet biofuels, jatropha suffered a fall from grace as yields failed to live up to overblown claims. However, California-based alternative energy crop company SG Biofuels (SGB) says it is developing advanced new hybrid versions that will enable the production of large volumes of sustainable plant oil and biomass at significantly lower costs. SGB has now signed agreements with two large Brazilian concerns that will see further development of the new-generation jatropha hybrids and lead to future production of sustainable biojet and biodiesel fuels in the country. The company has already deployed three research centres in Brazil, known as JMax Knowledge Centers, one of which is a multi-stakeholder initiative involving Airbus, JETBIO, Air BP, TAM Airlines, Bioventures Brasil and the Inter-American Development Bank. Read more ...
Sharjah ground handling company seeks to cut emissions through new energy efficiency initiative Wed 30 Jan 2013 - Sharjah Aviation Services, a ground handling company in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has announced a 'Go Green' initiative that aims to significantly reduce carbon emissions from its activities. One of the goals is to completely replace the company's fleet of 200 diesel and petrol powered ground vehicles at Sharjah with low emission equivalents by 2020, with more than 50 electric vehicles scheduled to be introduced in the next five years. The initiative has been launched in partnership with the company's co-owners, Air Arabia, the Middle East's first low-cost carrier, and the Sharjah Airport Authority. The project is expected to contribute to the airport's wider efforts to minimise its environmental footprint. Read more ...
Study finds airlines stand to make up to $1.7 billion in windfall gains from EU emissions scheme in 2012 Tue 22 Jan 2013 - A study by Dutch consultancy CE Delft estimates airlines stand to make up to 1.3 billion euros ($1.7bn) in windfall profits from the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) in 2012. This is based on an assumption that airlines have passed on all the costs of the scheme in increased charges to passengers including the value of the free allowances they have been allocated. This sum also includes a windfall gained as a result of the European Commission's 'stop the clock' proposal. Airlines have always consistently denied they would profit from the scheme but most have been less than transparent on pass-through costs to customers, choosing to hide some or all of the cost within fuel surcharges. The CE Delft study was commissioned by Brussels-based NGO Transport & Environment (T&E), which suggests the carriers contribute their windfall to the UN's Green Climate Fund. Read more ...
Kerry nomination as State Secretary gives rise to optimism that the US will be bolder on ICAO MBM action Fri 18 Jan 2012 - The nomination by President Obama of US Senator John Kerry as Secretary of State has boosted confidence that the United States will play an important role in negotiations taking place at ICAO on a global agreement to reduce the growth of international aviation emissions. A former presidential candidate, Kerry has a long track record in campaigning on climate action and together with Senator Joe Lieberman attempted climate legislation in 2010 that would have included a carbon charge on both international and domestic aviation fuel. As well as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Kerry is also a member of the Senate committee responsible for transportation that considered and passed the EU ETS prohibition bill last year. Kerry was a reluctant supporter but was influential in adding wording to the bill that called on the US government to conduct international negotiations on a worldwide approach to address aircraft emissions. Read more ...
Chicago airport authority outlines comprehensive plan to meet ambitious environmental targets Fri 18 Jan 2013 - The Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) has issued a report - entitled 'A Sustainable Path' - that details how it intends to meet a number of environmental targets by 2015 at the city's two major commercial airports, O'Hare and Midway. The targets include significant savings in energy consumption, a far better recycling record on waste and the introduction of low-emission vehicles. The initiative is part of the citywide 'Sustainable Chicago 2015' announced by Chicago Mayor and former White House Chief-of-Staff, Rahm Emanuel. Through its contribution to the agenda's wide-ranging goals, the CDA aims to establish the two airports as industry leaders in sustainability. It has already introduced a number of innovative environmental initiatives, such as the implementation of eight acres (3.2ha) of green roof space at O'Hare, the most of any US airport. Read more ...
European Parliament rapporteur backs 'stop the clock' EU ETS proposal but calls for clarity on EU stance Mon 14 Jan 2013 - The rapporteur of the European Parliament's environment committee (ENVI) for the European Commission's EU ETS 'stop the clock' proposal has broadly supported the move to temporarily amend the scope of the scheme to facilitate ICAO's work on global emissions. German MEP Dr Peter Liese was the Parliament's rapporteur and an influential political figure in aviation's original inclusion into the EU ETS. In a draft report published last week, he also urged the EU to adopt an unambiguous stance on the length of the suspension and on its expectations of ICAO's progress towards an agreement on a global market-based measure (MBM) that addresses CO2 emissions from aviation. He also proposed a tightening up of wording on allowances in the legislative proposal to avoid possible administrative confusion by member states and aircraft operators. Read more ...
Qatar Airways first to benefit from commercial introduction of synthetic GTL jet fuel at Doha Fri 11 Jan 2013 - A Qatar Airways Airbus A340-600 flight from Doha to London on Wednesday marked the introduction of commercial-scale synthetic blended jet fuel produced in Qatar. Supplies of the natural gas-to-liquid (GTL) jet fuel, which is blended 50/50 with conventional Jet-A1, are being produced by the Pearl GTL plant, a venture involving Qatar Petroleum and Shell. The GTL fuel will initially be restricted for use by Qatar Airways but it is likely to be supplied to other airlines serving Doha International Airport at some stage in the future. The Fischer-Tropsch Synthetic Paraffinic Kerosene (FT-SPK) blend was approved for commercial use in 2009 and there are expectations that up to one million tonnes of the fuel can be produced annually by Pearl GTL. GTL fuel does not provide reductions in lifecycle CO2 emissions but is cleaner burning with almost zero sulphur and lower particulate emissions compared with its petroleum-based equivalent. Read more ...
NASA's green aviation project moves towards real world testing of selected technologies Wed 9 Jan 2013 - NASA has unveiled details of the next step in its on-going research into greener technologies for aviation by revealing eight concepts that will be developed into large-scale demonstrations in Phase II of its Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project. The concepts selected were those that displayed the greatest potential to reduce negative environmental impacts from aviation in the next 30 years. Together they will address the project's five research areas: aircraft drag reduction through innovative flow control concepts, weight reduction from advanced composite materials, fuel and noise reduction from advanced engines, emissions reductions from improved engine combustors, and fuel consumption and community noise reduction through innovative airframe and engine integration designs. Read more ...
Canadian unblended biofuel commercial aircraft flight test shows significant reductions in emissions and fuel consumption Tue 8 Jan 2013 - Analysis of the industry-first 100 per cent biofuel-powered flight carried out on a civil jet aircraft last October has produced some interesting findings. The flight was conducted by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) using its Falcon 20 test aircraft with both engines using unblended ReadiJet aviation fuel produced from the sustainable oilseed crop Brassica carinata. The Falcon was trailed in flight by a second aircraft, a T-33, to capture and measure engine emissions produced from the fuel. NRC experts have revealed that compared with conventional kerosene fuel, there was a reduction of 50 per cent in aerosol emissions and an improvement of 1.5 per cent in specific fuel consumption during steady state operations. Additional static engine ground tests also showed a significant reduction of up to 25 per cent in particles and up to 49 per cent in black carbon emissions compared to the fossil fuel equivalent. Read more ...
Drop in U.S. underground water levels has accelerated: USGS
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Water levels in U.S. aquifers, the vast underground storage areas tapped for agriculture, energy and human consumption, between 2000 and 2008 dropped at a rate that was almost three times as great as any time during the 20th century, U.S. officials said on Monday.
Posted Monday, May 20, 2013 6:10 pm CDT
Powerful tornadoes strike in four central U.S. states
(Reuters) - A massive storm front swept north through the central United States on Sunday, hammering the region with fist-sized hail, blinding rain and tornadoes, including a half-mile wide twister that struck near Oklahoma City. News reports said at least one person had died.
Posted Monday, May 20, 2013 3:16 pm CDT
U.S. pesticide makers seek answers as bee losses sting agriculture
(Reuters) - Monsanto Co is hosting a "Bee Summit." Bayer AG is breaking ground on a "Bee Care Center." And Sygenta AG is funding grants for research into the accelerating demise of honeybees in the United States, where the insects pollinate fruits and vegetables that make up roughly a quarter of the American diet.
Posted Monday, May 20, 2013 12:21 pm CDT
Insight: The road to a greener America is littered with road-kill
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - In October 2004, then California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger rolled up to a pioneering fueling station at Los Angeles International Airport in a hydrogen-powered metallic blue Hummer loaned to him by General Motors Corp.
Posted Monday, May 20, 2013 11:09 am CDT
EU energy chief says EU to look at fracking this year
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Environmental concerns over the practice of hydraulic fracturing to tap shale gas will be on the European Union's agenda this year, EU Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger told a German newspaper.
Posted Monday, May 20, 2013 1:10 am CDT
Insight: The fight for North Dakota's fracking-water market
WATFORD CITY, North Dakota (Reuters) - In towns across North Dakota, the wellhead of the North American energy boom, the locals have taken to quoting the adage: "Whiskey is for drinking, and water is for fighting."
Posted Sunday, May 19, 2013 11:48 pm CDT
Analysis: At margins of shale oil boom, a tempered euphoria
HOUSTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - For the past three years, the boom in the U.S. shale oil industry has outstripped all expectations. Production surged far faster than any forecasts; drillers raced to secure space in new pipelines to get their crude to market.
Posted Sunday, May 19, 2013 11:09 pm CDT
Severe Kansas tornado prompts stark National Weather Service warning
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A dangerous, half mile-wide hurricane struck near Oklahoma City Sunday afternoon, part of an extreme weather system moving through the central U.S. and stretching from north Texas to Minnesota.
Posted Sunday, May 19, 2013 6:49 pm CDT
Extreme global warming seen further away than previously thought
OSLO (Reuters) - Extreme global warming is less likely in coming decades after a slowdown in the pace of temperature rises so far this century, an international team of scientists said on Sunday.
Posted Sunday, May 19, 2013 5:06 pm CDT
Analysis: Airline emissions deal may not come before EU deadline
(Reuters) - Hope is fading for a global deal to regulate the airline industry's greenhouse gas emissions ahead of a fall deadline, even though failure could push the industry back to the brink of a trade war over the European Union's emissions trading system.
All missing residents accounted for after Texas tornadoes
GRANBURY, Texas (Reuters) - All seven people listed as missing after a monster Texas tornado that tore homes from their foundations and uprooted trees on Wednesday have now been accounted for, leaving the death toll at six, authorities said on Friday.
Posted Friday, May 17, 2013 6:15 pm CDT
Belgian regulator to recommend reopening nuclear reactors -paper
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium's nuclear safety regulator will recommend reopening two GDF Suez nuclear reactors closed last year over safety concerns, newspaper Le Soir reported on Friday, citing a person familiar with the regulator's report.
Posted Friday, May 17, 2013 2:25 am CDT
China gives environmental approval to country's biggest hydro dam
BEIJING (Reuters) - China's environment ministry has given the go-ahead for the construction of what will become the country's tallest hydroelectric dam despite acknowledging it will have an impact on plants and rare fish.
Posted Friday, May 17, 2013 12:14 am CDT
New fracking rules attempt to placate opposing camps
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Thursday unveiled a new proposal for regulating hydraulic fracturing on federal lands, rolling back some measures from its original, abandoned draft as it sought to ease concerns the rules would be too burdensome for producers.
Posted Thursday, May 16, 2013 4:56 pm CDT
Monster Texas tornado kills six, seven people missing
GRANBURY, Texas (Reuters) - Six people were dead and seven missing after a powerful tornado ripped through a neighborhood that included housing for the poor in the north Texas town of Granbury, marking the deadliest severe storm outbreak in the United States so far this year.
Posted Thursday, May 16, 2013 1:33 pm CDT
Norwegian firm to seek ways to trap cement factory CO2
OSLO (Reuters) - Norway's Aker Solutions has won a contract to make the world's first tests for capturing emissions of carbon dioxide from cement factories as part of efforts to slow climate change, the company said on Thursday.
Posted Thursday, May 16, 2013 10:57 am CDT
Cyclone Mahasen buffets Bangladesh coast, six dead
CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh (Reuters) - Cyclone Mahasen buffeted Bangladesh's low-lying coast on Thursday, killing six people after forcing many thousands into emergency shelters, but authorities downgraded warnings later in the day as the storm lost strength.
Posted Thursday, May 16, 2013 9:57 am CDT
New protest in Chinese city over planned chemical plant
BEIJING (Reuters) - Hundreds of people took to the streets of the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming on Thursday to protest against the planned production of a chemical at a refinery, the second demonstration this month against the project.
Posted Thursday, May 16, 2013 4:06 am CDT
China says EU solar duties to "seriously harm" trade ties
BEIJING (Reuters) - China warned the European Union on Thursday that imposing duties on Chinese solar panels would "seriously harm" bilateral trade ties, upping the tone of its criticism a week after the EU said it would move ahead with hefty penalties in June.
Posted Thursday, May 16, 2013 4:00 am CDT
BP to ask UK government to intervene on Gulf spill payments: BBC
LONDON (Reuters) - British oil company BP wants Prime Minister David Cameron to intervene with the U.S. government over the escalating cost of compensating U.S. companies for the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster in 2010, the BBC reported Thursday.
Posted Thursday, May 16, 2013 2:54 am CDT
Analysis: Obama climate agenda faces Supreme Court reckoning
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With a barrage of legal briefs, a coalition of business groups and Republican-leaning states are taking their fight against Obama administration climate change regulations to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Posted Thursday, May 16, 2013 12:25 am CDT
Second Alaska volcano belching ash and steam
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - One of Alaska's most active volcanoes has erupted with clouds of ash and steam, and lava is flowing down its snow-covered flank, scientists said on Wednesday.
Posted Wednesday, May 15, 2013 10:19 pm CDT
Scientists say united on global warming, at odds with public view
OSLO (Reuters) - Ninety-seven percent of scientists say global warming is mainly man-made but a wide public belief that experts are divided is making it harder to gain support for policies to curb climate change, an international study showed on Thursday.
Posted Wednesday, May 15, 2013 7:02 pm CDT
Monsanto tests planting platform, eyes new microbial business
ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - Monsanto Co, the world's largest seed company, is developing two new platforms that diverge from its core business and are seen as potential key long-term growth drivers, according to top Monsanto executives.
