Airbus reaffirms commitment to sustainable aviation

Airbus is holding “Airbus Summit 2022” under the theme Gathering pace towards sustainable aerospace in Toulouse, France and Munich, Germany from November 30-December 1, 2022.

Opening the two-day summit the Airbus Chief Executive Guillaume Faury expressed the company’s commitment towards the realization of sustainable aviation. Faury highlighted the efforts that are being exerted on the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). “To achieve aviation’s net-zero targets by 2050, the use of SAF needs to reach 10% by 2030,” Faury said. Currently, the use of SAF by airlines stands at only one percent.

Airbus has revealed that it is developing a hydrogen-powered fuel cell engine. The propulsion system is being considered as one of the potential solutions to equip its zero-emission aircraft that will enter service by 2035.

According to Faury, Airbus is collaborating with other bodies to establish the regulatory framework that will be needed to certify and operate hydrogen-powered aircraft.

The aerospace industry is undergoing a period of rapid change, with advancements being made towards sustainability commitments, and new technologies transforming the future of flight. But these positive steps are contrasted with an ever-complex external environment: war on Europe’s borders, economic instability, and an energy crisis that looks set to bite this winter. “We need to take action in time of crisis,” Faury said.    

The Airbus Summit 2022 has brought together business leaders, partners, and industry experts to exchange ideas and debate the challenges and opportunities that will transform the world. Decarbonisation is a priority agenda in the summit. 

Airbus and Neste, a world-leading producer of renewable fuels, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly advance the production and uptake of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Both parties share a vision that SAF is a key solution to helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions of air travel. The collaboration aims to accelerate the aviation sector’s transition to SAF.

Airbus has also signed a partnership agreement with HyPort, a joint venture between ENGIE Solutions and the Regional Agency for Energy and Climate in Occitanie (AREC), a leader in the development of green hydrogen in France, to support the development of one of the world’s first low carbon hydrogen production and distribution stations at an airport.