In this episode, we talk to Professor Robert Miller, Director of the Whittle Laboratory at the University of Cambridge, who shares why 2030 targets are crucial for the aviation industry’s transition towards net zero.

Miller is also the head of the Aviation Impact Accelerator (AIA), a collaboration between the Whittle Laboratory and the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. The AIA recently released the “Five Years to Chart a New Future for Aviation” report which outlined 4 key Sustainable Aviation Goals, which, if achieved in the next 5 years, can help aviation reach net-zero by 2050. 

Miller shares insights into the recently released report and highlights several key issues:

1. The misconception of smooth technology transitions, emphasising that historical precedents show abrupt changes with usually one dominant solution emerging, similar to VHS vs Betamax or cars vs horses.
2. Operation Blue Skies which seeks to address persistent contrails by setting up “Airspace-Scale Living Labs”.
3. The introduction of bold efficiency measures that could halve fuel burn by 2050, including reducing aircraft life from 30 to 15 years, flying 15% slower, and better matching aircraft to route distances.
4. The challenges of scaling Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) within global biomass limitations, with potential ticket price increases ranging from 30%-90% depending on production method.
5. The opportunity for hydrogen adoption in long-haul aviation, with potential for 10-30% fleet penetration by 2050, focusing initially on the 50 largest hub airports that consume half of global jet fuel.
6. The importance of launching moonshot technology demonstrations by 2030, including cryogenic hydrogen/methane fuels, synthetic biology, and hydrogen-electric propulsion.

Throughout the conversation, Miller emphasises the urgency of immediate action. He stresses that while only 10% of the global population has flown, expanding access to air travel must be balanced with aggressive decarbonisation efforts.

If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversation we had with Dr Florian Allroggen, Executive Director, Aerospace Climate & Sustainability, and a Research Scientist in MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, who shares the science behind contrails, their climate impact, and practical solutions for mitigation. Check it out here. 

Learn more about the innovators who are navigating the industry’s challenges to make sustainable aviation a reality, in our new book ‘Sustainability in the Air’. Click here to learn more.

Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.

Links & More:

Aviation Impact Accelerator

The Whittle Laboratory  

Five Years to Chart a New Future for Aviation - Aviation Impact Accelerator 

Cambridge report sets four goals to be implemented by 2030 for global aviation to reach Net Zero - GreenAir News