Aviation initiated an important step in its commitment to sustainability and climate change. Leading organizations, such as the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), updated their objectives to reduce the industry's carbon footprint, setting ambitious targets for the coming years. These commitments include the goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050, improving fuel efficiency by 2% per year between 2020 and 2030, and maintaining carbon-neutral growth from 2020 onwards.
Accordingly, the industry is already showing tangible results, including the fact that since 2010 it has achieved an annual fuel efficiency improvement of 1.9% to date, approaching the proposed goal of 2% fuel efficiency by 2030.
Sustainable initiatives in aviation: the key to the Future
In its commitment to the environmental issue, the aviation industry contributes to sustainability from the extraction of raw materials for the manufacture of aircraft parts and components, the sustainable management of aircraft assembly and manufacturing lines, their operation and the entire organic environment of the industry, understood as the elimination of paper and the use of biodegradable onboard service elements.
Likewise, the sector seeks to bet on sustainability through SAF fuels, which are made from more environmentally friendly resources such as organic oils, seeking to reduce carbon emissions in private aviation by up to 80%. The SAFs are designed to meet strict sustainability criteria, which allows them to contribute positively to environmental issues and support the reduction of greenhouse gases.
Biofuels: Towards a Circular Economy
Biofuels play an essential role within the FFS. These fuels come from renewable resources such as algae and waste oils and are increasingly blended with traditional jet fuel. What makes biofuels interesting is not only their ability to reduce carbon emissions, but also their contribution to a circular economy. By reusing waste as a fuel source, it drives a more sustainable model for the industry.
Synthetic Fuels: An Innovative Solution
These fuels are produced using carbon dioxide that can be captured directly from the atmosphere or from industrial emissions. Electrolysis is also used to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, and then the hydrogen is combined with atmospheric CO2 to generate liquid fuels with properties similar to those of fossil fuels. When produced sustainably, these synthetic fuels are a promising alternative within PFS, offering an additional avenue for reducing emissions in private aviation.
Innovation in Aircraft Design
Apart from improved fuels, aircraft design and technological innovations play a crucial role in reducing emissions. Advanced aerodynamics and the use of more efficient materials contribute to making aircraft more fuel efficient. A clear example of this is Winglets (a device used on the wings of modern aircraft to reduce wind resistance and improve fuel efficiency). These advances have been widely implemented in private jets, allowing the industry to play a more sustainable role.
Electric, hybrid and hydrogen-powered Aircraft: The future of aviation
Innovations in sustainable aviation are also part of the change thanks to the production of electric, hybrid and hydrogen-powered aircraft. While these aircraft are still in the experimental phase, expectations are high. These aircraft have the potential to significantly reduce carbon emissions and even eliminate them altogether by using cleaner and more efficient energy sources. These developments are on the path to a revolution in aviation, which could completely transform the way people will fly in the coming decades.
Central Aerospace also joins these sustainable initiatives in its Maintenance and FBO operations, with the use of rainwater for aircraft washing, the use of biodegradable detergents and paint removers, water and energy saving campaigns, responsible management of oil and fuel waste, collection of contaminated water with certified companies, training on used oils, recycling campaigns, among others.
“Aviation's commitment to sustainability and climate change is clear and is paying off. From the development of sustainable fuels such as UAS, to technological innovations in aircraft design and the use of new energy sources; the industry is making steady strides towards a greener future. Although much remains to be done, the progress made so far shows that private aviation is ready to be a key player in the fight against climate change, with the goal of achieving a more sustainable, net-zero emissions future by 2050,” says Rodrigo Perdomo Gutiérrez de Piñeres, CEO of Central Aerospace.
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