Greenhouse gas emissions are a global, and widely-discussed, problem. Governments around the world have committed to tackling it – and consumers are increasingly concerned with it. Among the most notorious contributors to this problem is transportation, and aviation in particular. According to the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks, aircraft actually contribute around 8% of the emissions generated by transport in the U.S.
The Biden Administration has made a number of concrete steps toward tackling the problem, including commitments to net zero by 2050, and reducing emissions to more than 50% below 2005 levels by 2030. Achieving these goals will necessarily mean a change in methods in the aviation industry.
The impact of digital transformation
Digitization has already helped airlines to clean up their act.
During the pandemic, we saw many workforces become remote. This meant that greenhouse gases from transport were reduced, even if emissions from home offices increased. Superior management of supply chains has made shipping more efficient, and therefore greener. There’s also the promise of more electric drones being involved in last-mile delivery.
Fuel efficiency and optimization
By optimizing flight schedules, we can reduce the amount of emissions generated by aviation generally. When there’s no waiting to land, we don’t need to waste fuel staying airborne. The aircraft themselves can also be made more reliable with the help of IoT-enabled devices, which monitor the condition and efficiency of the aircraft, and allow for earlier and more effective interventions.
Alternative fuels
The adoption of biofuels, and the suggestion of hydrogen fuels within a few decades, gives us reason to be optimistic about the future of aviation. Even the private jet sector is hopping on board, with business travellers being able to rent a private jet powered by biofuels.
Aircraft design
Aircraft are getting more efficient. They’re flying with lighter loads, and being exposed to less stress. Remember that it isn’t just burning fuel that contributes to climate change – replacement planes need to be manufactured, which also contributes to climate change.
But when it comes to true zero-emissions operation, there are two potential solutions. These are electric aircraft and hydrogen-powered ones. The former seems more viable for short and medium-haul journeys, where electric drones have demonstrated a way forward. The latter is probably better suited to long-haul flights.
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Emission monitoring and reporting
The likelihood is that aircraft will be made more efficient over time, not in a single step, but via a series of incremental gains. In order to do this, we’ll need to monitor the emissions of every given craft and see exactly how damaging they are. This will help ensure that improvements are being made and that regulations can be enforced.
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