Climate neutral aviation? Now boarding!
We are aiming for climate neutral aviation. And we believe it’s possible. What’s our drive? We know that climate change is real. And although aviation contributes a lot to welfare and wellbeing of people around the world, aviation contributes to climate change and if we don’t intervene this contribution will grow exponentially. Therefore, we need to take climate action in aviation and we need to take it now. We believe TU Delft is well positioned to come up with technological solutions that will make a significant contribution to a climate neutral aviation.
Henri Werij
Dean Faculty of Aerospace Engineering TU Delft
How do we work on making aviation sustainable?
- Reduce energy consumption
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We make aircraft and aircraft engines as efficient as possible. Our revolutionary Flying-V aircraft design for example aims at saving 20% on fuel consumption compared to state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft, like the Airbus A350, just as a result of improved aerodynamics and reduced weight. But lightweight aircraft materials and new systems for Air Traffic Management, such as a Single European Sky, so that aircraft can always fly the shortest distance possible, will also save energy.
- Sustainable energy
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We want aviation to run completely on a mix of sustainable energy and propulsion technologies. We for example work on electric and electric/hybrid aircraft. But also on the sustainable production of green aviation fuels, such as synthetic kerosene, LNG and hydrogen. By re-using CO2 for the production of green fuels, we make aviation CO2 neutral. All options need to be on the table. Sustainable fuels are better suited for long-haul flights and electric aircraft for shorter routes.
- Sustainable aviation operations
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This varies from sustainable airports – in healthy environments - to sustainability-focused Air Traffic Management systems and fleet management (we can fly more on electric aircraft if they make more stops on the way to recharge). We also study the effect of new aircraft and fuels on the earth’s atmosphere. By doing so we can optimize route and cruise altitude to minimize climate effects, and to greatly reduce air and noise pollution.