Airbus "seriously aims for decarbonisation", works on electric airplanes
Handelsblatt / Airbus
European multinational aircraft manufacturer Airbus 鈥渟eriously aims for decarbonisation鈥, the company鈥檚 CEO Guillaume Faury said at the "Airbus Innovation Days" in French city Toulouse, . With , the company explores the possibilities of emission-free aviation. The latest addition is a joint project with SAS Scandinavian Airlines for hybrid and electric aircraft eco-system and infrastructure requirements research. The project focusses on analysing the impact of ground infrastructure and charging on range, resources, time and availability at airports. 鈥淭his multidisciplinary approach鈥攆rom energy to infrastructure - aims to address the entire aircraft operations ecosystem in order to better support the aviation industry's transition to sustainable energy,鈥 .
Global direct aviation emissions account for more than 2 percent of global emissions, roughly equivalent to the total greenhouse gas output of Germany. By 2020, emissions are projected to be about 70 percent higher than in 2005 and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) forecasts that the sector's greenhouse gas output could grow by a further 300 percent to 700 percent by 2050, leading to political debate over banning airborne transportation under certain circumstances.聽Many projects explore the possibilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in aviation. German Lilium and the 鈥淪ilent Air Taxi鈥 by German e-car pioneer G眉nther Schuh are some of several different concepts for establishing e-aircrafts as a means of short-distance transportation in Germany. Among the best known is also Volocopter, which operates in a way similar to unmanned toy drones.