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Airbus SE has joined Japan’s Act For Sky, a voluntary organization that works to commercialize, promote, and expand the use of locally-produced sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Airbus will support the organization’s partners by providing technical information and cooperating on research and technology activities on SAF, it said in a news release Monday. The company will also transport helicopters or larger aircraft parts using Airbus Beluga aircraft powered with SAF. By joining Act for Sky, Airbus said it intends to support the establishment of a resilient Japanese supply chain for SAF.
“We are delighted to have joined Act for Sky. At Airbus we are committed to supporting SAF as a major lever in the reduction of CO2 emissions as part of the aviation industry decarbonization roadmap to net zero CO2 emissions by 2050″, Airbus Senior Vice President and Airbus Japan President Stéphane Ginoux said.
“All Airbus aircraft, including military aircraft and helicopters, can already fly with a 50 percent SAF blend. We aim to make our entire product portfolio capable of flying with 100 percent SAF by 2030, acting as a catalyst to ready the ecosystem for a 10 percent global uptake by 2030”, Ginoux added.
Airbus jointly performed the country’s first helicopter flight powered by SAF with local operator Nakanihon Air at Nagoya Airport in mid-2022. Airbus has also been using domestically produced SAF for helicopter test flights conducted at Airbus Helicopters Japan’s Kobe Airport Facility, according to the release.
Act for Sky aims to raise awareness among citizens and companies of the importance of SAF, carbon neutrality, and achieving a circular economy. Initially established by 16 Japanese companies in March 2022, ACT FOR SKY now consists of 31 companies including Airbus. The most recent companies to join the organization are Mitsubishi UFJ Bank, Ltd., Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp, and Honda Motor Co Ltd. According to a news release from the organization, Honda is planning on the active use of SAF in engine tests and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions in research and development activities, as well as the research and development of SAF manufacturing technology centered on the direct FT method, which directly synthesizes fuel from carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
Report on Hydrogen-Fueled Aircraft
Meanwhile, the New Zealand Hydrogen Aviation Consortium has released a report on the use of hydrogen-fueled aircraft flying New Zealand domestic routes, which could save up to 900,000 metric tons of carbon emissions every year by 2050, according to an earlier news release from Airbus.
The New Zealand Hydrogen Aviation Consortium is a partnership of six international businesses: Airbus, Air New Zealand, Christchurch Airport, Fortescue, Hiringa Energy, and Fabrum. Launched in February, the consortium has spent the last six months examining the hydrogen supply chain, evaluating the local aviation market’s projected hydrogen requirements, and scoping what it would take to establish a successful hydrogen ecosystem for aviation in New Zealand. The consortium has also developed recommendations for the regulations and incentives needed to support the transition to a green hydrogen aviation system, according to the release.
The consortium’s ZEROe Ecosystem Vice President Karine Guenan said that New Zealand is uniquely positioned to lead the testing and deployment of low-carbon aircraft. “The country’s large potential renewable electricity and water resources are key advantages while the size of aircraft used here and the length of routes flown match the capabilities of hydrogen-powered aircraft. This report lays out the ecosystem required to make that happen. It is a first step and Airbus is committed to leveraging our expertise to work with government, industries, and other stakeholders to bring it to life”, Guenan said.
To contact the author, email rocky.teodoro@rigzone.com
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