Aviation carbon emissions and regulatory compliance proving a concern for aircraft financiers and insurers Wed 9 June 2010 - The inclusion of the aviation industry within the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) from 2012 could result in a number of adverse implications and potential liabilities for the global aircraft finance and aviation insurance markets, writes Barry Moss. These include credit risk, operational risk, political risk and asset (or aircraft value) risk. For example, there is uncertainty over the potential financial liability exposure aircraft financiers and lessors may face in the event of an aircraft operator defaulting under the EU ETS. They may have to assume a bigger risk and increase their balance sheet provisioning accordingly. Aviation insurers should be concerned that emissions trading schemes could seriously add to the decline of the aviation industry and therefore demand for insurance and future premium income. Read more ... 1 opinion posted

China's actions and stand on greenhouse gas emissions from international civil aviation Tue 1 June 2010 - Innovation and advances in engine technology, biofuels and air traffic management are the best choices in making substantial reductions in aviation greenhouse gas emissions whilst still guaranteeing the sustainable development of the industry, writes Dr Ma Xiangshan of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). However, developed countries should assume their responsibility and take the lead in reducing emissions. Full consideration should be given to the fact that developing countries are in their own growth stage and are facing a considerable shortage in terms of finance, technology and capability. In view of this, the fuel efficiency goal agreed at ICAO will be the most appropriate measure since it focuses on both development and emissions control, and some other goals are in fact neither practical nor reasonable if they pose a hindrance to development. Read more ...

There are no articles in this section.

Concerns remain as new UK government holds up change from Air Passenger Duty to aircraft-based green tax Fri 9 July 2010 - The new UK coalition government's backtrack on an initial commitment to change Air Passenger Duty (APD) to a greener per-plane duty (PPD) and instead initiate a consultation process has been largely welcomed by concerned aviation industry representatives but greeted with suspicion by environmentalists, who favour a switch. A number of airlines and airports remain alarmed that a PPD could have a detrimental impact on regional flights and airports. According to The Sunday Times, the proposed tax could also spark a diplomatic row with the United States, which voiced its opposition to similar plans mooted in 2008 by the previous UK government. Meanwhile, the UK's Transport Secretary has announced the setting up of a new group to consider how to make best use of existing airport capacity in the South-East since it scrapped on environmental grounds proposals for new London runways. Read more ...

AFRA comes up with ambitious target to improve recyclability rate of the global end-of-service aircraft fleet Fri 9 July 2010 - The aircraft recycling industry is targeting a 90 percent recyclability of the end-of-service global fleet by 2016, announced Boeing's Director for Airplane Environmental Performance, Jeanne Yu, at last week's annual meeting of the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association (AFRA) in Las Vegas. AFRA members currently undertake the recycling of around 150 commercial aircraft a year, representing a third of aircraft scrapped around the world. However, more than 12,000 aircraft are expected to reach the end of their service life over the next 20 years as airlines upgrade their fleets to more fuel-efficient aircraft, providing both opportunities and challenges to the fledgling sector. Another target is to reduce the amount of aircraft manufacturing waste sent to landfills by 25 percent by 2012. Read more ...

Perpetual fossil fuel-free flight nears reality as Solar Impulse completes first-ever solar powered night flight Thu 8 July 2010 - The solar-powered Solar Impulse has made the longest and highest ever flight of its kind, touching down at its Payerne, Switzerland airfield base this morning after flying for more than 26 hours. Taking off early yesterday morning, the plane's 12,000 solar cells stored enough energy to keep it flying through the night before touching down at 9am local time this morning. It is an important milestone for an eventual transatlantic crossing and round-the-world flight on a second prototype to be built this summer. Solar power is unlikely to find its way into commercial airliner operations in the foreseeable future but as the project's founder Bertrand Piccard points out, the flight is a symbolic achievement on the path towards a carbon-free aviation industry. Read more ...

Could the exhaust from jet engines provide wind power to generate free electricity for airports? Wed 7 July 2010 - A US industrial designer believes he has come up with a novel concept that harnesses the jet exhaust from aircraft waiting to take off to create freely available wind-generated electrical power for airports. With around 35,000 jet aircraft taking off at over 900 commercial airports daily, Phoenix-based Richard Hales says there is an airliner taking flight every 90 seconds at hundreds of commercial airports throughout the United States. Hales' FreeWind generator units would be sited in the vicinity of blast fences positioned at almost all airports to defuse jet engine exhaust that can reach 300mph. Without the necessary financial and engineering resources of his own, he is looking for an investor so that a prototype can be constructed and tested in a real-life situation. Read more ...

Small errors in emissions data monitoring could cost Aviation EU ETS operators over one million euros Tue 6 July 2010 - Inaccuracies or errors in monitoring emissions data could lead to aircraft operators entering the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) paying more than they should for emissions and getting less than their entitlement in carbon credits, says ETS Aviation, a specialist in MRV software and support services. Even a small airline with a fleet of six aircraft emitting 150,000 tonnes of CO2 a year could lose up to one million euros ($1.25m) over the 2012-2020 reporting cycle for a one to two percent error in monitoring emissions data, calculates the company. Meanwhile, leading accredited EU ETS verifier CICS is warning that many operators still have much work to do to meet deadlines and has released a 'white paper' to provide a resource on verification issues. Read more ... 1 opinion posted

FAA awards contracts to manufacturers to help accelerate pace of aircraft environmental performance improvements Mon 5 July 2010 - Around $250 million will be spent over the next five years in a series of contracts awarded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to help develop and demonstrate technologies to reduce commercial aircraft jet fuel consumption, emissions and noise. The contracts are part of the FAA's Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions and Noise (CLEEN) programme and have been signed with Boeing and engine manufacturers GE Aviation, Honeywell, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce North America. The goal of the programme is to achieve a reduction in fuel burn by 33 percent, a reduction in NOx emissions by 60 percent and a reduction in cumulative aircraft noise levels by 32 decibels through technologies that could be introduced into aircraft from 2015. Read more ...

New Zealand airlines become the first in the world to operate under a mandatory national carbon ETS Fri 2 July 2010 - The first major carbon emissions trading scheme to affect airlines started in New Zealand yesterday and is expected to add around three New Zealand cents (two US cents) to a litre of jet fuel. Unlike the European model, which starts in 2012, emissions obligations under the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) are accounted for 'upstream' so fuel suppliers bear the responsibility for compliance and they in turn pass the costs on to the user. However, a large fuel user, such as an airline, can voluntarily 'opt-in' to the scheme and take on the responsibilities for carbon emissions accounting. Of the three major airlines operating in the country - Air New Zealand, Jetstar and Pacific Blue - only the former has decided to shoulder the obligations and liabilities from the beginning. The scheme applies only to domestic air travel and jet fuel used on international flights is exempted. Read more ...

Stockholm and Izmir airports joint winners of new eco award as Airport Carbon Accreditation scheme completes first year Mon 28 June 2010 - Stockholm Arlanda and Turkey's Izmir Adnan Menderes International airports have been jointly presented with the inaugural Eco-Innovation Award at the ACI Europe Annual Congress. It was awarded by the independent Advisory Board of Airport Carbon Accreditation, a programme launched a year ago, and recognizes outstanding environmental performance and an innovative approach to environmental management. So far, 19 airports across Europe have achieved Airport Carbon Accredited status, although over 30 airports applied for accreditation when the industry initiative was launched a year ago. ACI Europe reports that reductions of over 400,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions have been saved during the first year as a result. Read more ...

Greenhouse gas emissions down in 2009 but overall fuel efficiency fails to improve at American Airlines Thu 24 June 2010 - Combined jet fuel related greenhouse gas emissions at American Airlines and its affiliate American Eagle fell by 7.1 percent in 2009 compared to 2008, reports the second annual Corporate Responsibility Report just published by parent company AMR. However, fuel efficiency across passenger and cargo operations expressed in metric tonnes of CO2e per 1,000 revenue ton miles (RTMs) decreased slightly last year. The amount of carbon emissions per RTM flown in 2009 increased from 1.80 CO2e per 1,000 RTMs to 1.82 CO2e per 1,000 RTMs, which is blamed on a heavy fall in cargo carried. On the positive side, American's Fuel Smart programme saved over 100 million gallons of fuel in 2009 through ongoing initiatives. Read more ...

Portal launched to help businesses simply measure and offset carbon emissions of staff flights Mon 21 June 2010 - A new automated carbon measurement and offsetting portal has been launched by Australia-based Climate Friendly that is designed to be a simple tool for businesses worldwide to manage and offset their staff flight emissions. Called FlightPortal, it is designed specifically to link the global corporate travel sector to the global clean energy sector, and is available from a network of the world's leading travel management companies. According to the company, thousands of tonnes of CO2 have already been offset through FlightPortal by clients supporting projects spanning wind, geothermal, sustainable biomass and micro hydro across Europe, Asia and the Pacific region. Customers include the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), Macquarie Group and WWF. Read more ...

Lufthansa Group's 50 new replacement aircraft contribute to 2009 overall fall in specific fuel consumption Mon 21 June 2010 - Specific fuel consumption across the Lufthansa Group declined last year to 4.30 litres of kerosene per 100 passenger kilometres compared to 4.34 in 2008. The Group has set a target to reduce the specific fuel consumption, and therefore CO2 emissions, by 25 percent by 2020 compared to the 2006 level of 4.38. This will be helped by the largest fleet modernization programme so far undertaken in which a total of 146 new aircraft list priced at more than 13 billion euros are due to go into operation over the next six years. A further contribution is expected from the use of blended synthetic fuels, based on biomass, making up 5 to 10 percent of total fuel usage by 2020. Details of the Group's Strategic Environmental Program are contained its 2010 sustainability report, Balance, just published. Read more ...

EADS undertakes first aircraft flight powered by algae-derived biofuel and signs Brazilian production venture Thu 17 June 2010 - The first public flights of an aircraft with an engine fully powered by algae-derived biofuel took place last week during the ILA Air Show in Berlin. The demonstration flights of a twin-engined Diamond DA42 NG light aircraft was undertaken as part of an ongoing project led by EADS Innovation Works, the research and technology arm of European aerospace manufacturer EADS. Due to the higher energy content of the algae biofuel, with the flight tests involving one engine using 100 percent biofuel and the other conventional jet kerosene, showed that fuel consumption of the biofuel is 1.5 litres per hour lower, equivalent to fuel savings of 5-10 percent. During the air show, EADS, its helicopter division Eurocopter and Argentina-based Biocombustibles del Chubut, which supplied the algae biofuel for the flights, signed a cooperative agreement to evaluate the creation of an aviation biofuel production facility in Brazil. Read more ...

Coalition of US environmental NGOs files suit against EPA over failure to regulate aircraft emissions Tue 15 June 2010 - A coalition of US environmental groups has filed a lawsuit challenging a perceived failure by the US Environmental Protection Agency to address pollution from aircraft, ocean-going ships and non-road vehicles and engines. The move came a day after the US Senate voted to uphold the EPA's authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. The lawsuit was filed in the federal district court in the District of Columbia by Earthjustice and the Western Environmental Law Center on behalf of Oceana, Friends of the Earth, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Center for Biological Diversity, the Center for Food Safety and the International Center for Technology Assessment. Read more ...

Airline industry's first-ever carbon footprint assessment carried out on North American regional carriers Mon 14 June 2010 - Sustainability measurement and environmental risk management company EQ2 has conducted the first-ever airline industry carbon and environmental footprint assessment in conjunction with the Regional Airline Association (RAA). Using EQ2's web-based Evolution sustainability management system, seven participating RAA members, representing 52 percent of the US regional fleet, collected data on their fuel, electricity, water usage and waste generation. A report was submitted to the RAA Environmental Committee Meeting held during the recent RAA Annual Convention that is aimed at helping airline members gain a direct insight into issues they face and provide an understanding on how they can improve their environmental performance. Read more ...

Finnair becomes first to order fuel and emissions saving Sharklet-fitted extended-range Airbus A321 Mon 14 June 2010 - Finnair has said it will order five new Airbus A321ER aircraft fitted with the Airbus-designed Sharklet wingtips to replace Boeing 757 aircraft used on leisure flights. With a range of 5,000 kilometres, the extended-range narrowbody aircraft will be capable of direct flights from, for example, Finland to the Canary Islands. The Sharklet devices are designed to enhance the eco-efficiency and payload range performance of the A320 Family, with an expected 3.5 percent reduction in fuel burn over longer sectors. This corresponds to an annual CO2 reduction of around 700 tonnes per aircraft, although Finnair is looking for savings closer to 4 percent. Last November, Air New Zealand became the launch customer for the Sharklets when it takes delivery of new A320 aircraft around the end of 2012. Read more ...

NASA seeks proposals for research studies into green aircraft concepts that can halve carbon emissions Fri 11 June 2010 - NASA is soliciting proposals for studies designed to identify advanced concepts that will enable commercial airliners to fly more economically, quieter and cleaner by 2025. Concepts must incorporate technologies enabling large, twin-aisle passenger aircraft to achieve ambitious environmental goals that include 50 percent less fuel consumption and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions compared with today's airliners and around 80 percent reduction in the nuisance noise footprint around airports. The total value of the research contracts is $36.6 million, with proposals due by July 15. Read more ...

IATA says airlines will have to invest $1.3 trillion in new aircraft to meet fuel efficiency targets Fri 11 June 2010 - IATA says airlines will collectively have to save an additional 728 million tonnes of CO2 emissions over the next 10 years if the industry is to make its 1.5 percent annual fuel efficiency improvement target by 2020. This is predicated, says IATA's Director of Aviation Environment, Paul Steele, on airlines spending $1.3 trillion on purchasing 12,000 new, more fuel-efficient aircraft. IATA foresees passenger numbers reaching 16 billion by 2050 compared to just over two billion now but remains committed to halving the industry's net aviation emissions by the same time. To monitor progress against the goals, the IATA Board at its AGM in Berlin this week agreed to mandate all member airlines to annually report on fuel consumption and carbon offsetting activities. Read more ...

Lufthansa CEO calls for Aviation EU ETS to be postponed for a year because of ash cloud distortions Thu 10 June 2010 - Speaking to journalists at the IATA AGM in Berlin this week, Lufthansa CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber called for the postponement of the Aviation EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), due to start in 2012, for a year because of the market distortions caused by the grounding of aircraft due to the volcanic ash cloud in April. As the main impact was felt in Northern Europe and Scandinavia, airlines in these regions would be adversely affected in the allocation of free emissions permits as 2010 is the benchmarking year for the calculation. The Association of European Airlines has reacted angrily to European Commission suggestions that the effect would be very small. Meanwhile, Chinese airlines have joined their US counterparts in attacking the inclusion of international airlines into the EU ETS. Read more ...

German air passenger departure tax linked to environmental performance draws airline protests Wed 9 June 2010 - The German government is to introduce a departure tax on all passengers departing German airports until the introduction of airlines into the Aviation EU Emissions Trading Scheme in 2012. The tax is aimed at raising 1 billion euros ($1.2bn) annually and although details are still to be released it is expected to add around 8-16 euros per ticket. In a statement, the government said the tax would be based on factors such as the flight's noise level and fuel consumption. IATA branded the tax a "cash grab" and inappropriate at a time of economic hardship for European airlines. Lufthansa CEO Wolfgang Mayrhuber said the tax raised would exceed the total annual collective earnings of all German airlines. Read more ...

United Airlines marks World Environment Day with 'Green Corridor' transatlantic flights Fri 4 June 2010 - United Airlines is to operate a return transatlantic between Frankfurt and Chicago tomorrow (June 5) which will use state-of-the-art flight planning to reduce the carbon emissions of the flights by around three percent compared to normal operations on the route. The commercial flights, using a Boeing 777, will coincide with the United Nations-designated World Environment Day. The airline expects to save nearly 2,900kg of fuel and around 9,000kg of CO2 emissions on what it describes as the 'Green Corridor' demonstration flights. United will use a flight planning system to compute optimum routing, altitudes and speeds based on winds and aircraft performance capabilities, as well as fuel-saving measures on the ground. Read more ...

More ambitious carbon targets and further consideration of economic measures highlighted at ICAO Colloquium Thu 3 June 2010 - Early action, more ambitious goals on reducing international aviation CO2 emissions, help for developing countries and a global framework on market-based measures were called for at the recent ICAO Colloquium on Aviation and Climate Change held in Montreal. The triennial conference was held as ICAO prepares for its 37th Assembly at the end of September and is actively seeking consensus on key issues to put before Member States ahead of the COP-16 climate talks in December. A raft of presentations from States, industry, scientists and financial institutions covering mitigation and adaptation, aviation biofuels, financing and economic measures were heard over the three days. ICAO Council President Roberto Kobeh González told delegates that only through consensus building and global cooperation could international aviation be environmentally sustainable. Read more ...

Etihad Airways extends partnership with Masdar in carbon credit purchasing for offset programme Tue 1 June 2010 - Etihad Airways has signed a service agreement with Masdar, the Abu Dhabi multi-billion dollar renewable and future energy initiative, to purchase carbon credits for the airline's voluntary offset programme. Masdar's carbon management team will help in sourcing and retiring high-quality carbon credits from projects such as alternative energy programmes and energy efficiency projects. Details of the airline's offset programme are still to be decided but initially it is likely only to include staff travel, although Etihad is considering the introduction of a passenger carbon offset scheme at a future date. Read more ...

Reuters: Environment (Last updated Saturday, July 31, 2010 8:34 pm CDT)

Sri Lanka, Hawaii sites get world heritage status BRASILIA (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's central highlands and a protected marine area in Hawaii, the only habitats of several endangered plant and animal species, have been added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites, the U.N. body said on Saturday. Posted Saturday, July 31, 2010 6:16 pm CDT

Congress to probe Michigan oil spill DETROIT (Reuters) - A U.S. congressional committee will probe the spill of more than 800,000 gallons (3 million liters) of oil from an Enbridge Inc pipeline in southern Michigan this week, a Michigan congressman said on Saturday. Posted Saturday, July 31, 2010 2:45 pm CDT

Wildfires spread in western Russia, kill 28 VORONEZH, Russia (Reuters) - Raging wildfires spread across parts of western Russia on Saturday, engulfing 30 percent more land in just 24 hours, and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin described the situation as very difficult. Posted Saturday, July 31, 2010 1:27 pm CDT

BP to try well kill Tuesday BILOXI, Mississippi (Reuters) - BP said on Friday it could seal its ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well by next week as the House of Representatives voted to toughen regulation of offshore energy drilling. Posted Saturday, July 31, 2010 8:33 am CDT

House approves oil spill reform bill WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives on Friday approved the toughest reforms ever to offshore energy drilling practices, as Democrats narrowly pushed through an election-year response to BP's massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Posted Friday, July 30, 2010 6:16 pm CDT

UNESCO declares Everglades endangered site BRASILIA (Reuters) - A U.N. panel has declared the Florida's Everglades to be an endangered World Heritage site due to the wetlands' continued degradation, officials said on Friday. Posted Friday, July 30, 2010 4:30 pm CDT

China oil spill could be 60,000 metric tons: Greenpeace BEIJING (Reuters) - As many as 60,000 metric tons of heavy crude oil could have been spilled into China's northeast coastal waters as a result of an explosion that rocked the port of Dalian on July 16, Greenpeace said on Friday. Posted Friday, July 30, 2010 8:47 am CDT

U.N. panel to probe further Kyoto CO2-cut projects LONDON (Reuters) - A United Nations climate panel will ask a working group to investigate further claims that a Kyoto Protocol scheme may be incentivizing participants to emit more greenhouse gases, it said on Friday. Posted Friday, July 30, 2010 5:55 pm CDT

Study changes picture of U.S. quake hazards WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The risk of earthquakes in the U.S. Midwest may be more widespread than geologists have believed, but a "big one" may be less likely at Missouri's New Madrid fault, researchers said on Wednesday. Posted Friday, July 30, 2010 7:01 am CDT

Dead whale found pinned to Alaska cruise ship ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Reuters) - A dead whale was discovered pinned to the bow of a Princess Cruises luxury liner near Juneau, the third such incident involving the company's Alaska fleet in a decade, officials said on Thursday. Posted Friday, July 30, 2010 1:55 am CDT

There are no articles in this section.