Sustainability In The Air

In this episode, we talk to Dr Florian Allroggen, Executive Director, Aerospace Climate & Sustainability, and a Research Scientist in MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, who shares insights into the science of contrails and their impact on aviation’s climate footprint.Allroggen discusses his role, focusing on understanding aviation’s environmental impact and developing solutions for a net-zero pathway. He highlights several key issues:The formation of contrails as ice clouds when aircraft exhaust meets cold atmospheric conditions, and their dual role in both warming and cooling the atmosphere.The comparable magnitude of contrail warming effects to CO2 emissions, with varying impacts depending on the timeframe considered – contrails having larger short-term effects while CO2’s impact accumulates over centuries.The potential for contrail avoidance through flight path adjustments, particularly by changing aircraft altitude rather than horizontal routing, due to the “pancake-like” nature of contrail-forming regions.The development of real-time contrail detection technology using NASA satellite imagery and machine learning, currently being tested with Delta Air Lines.The challenges of implementing contrail avoidance strategies, including the need for air traffic control coordination and the balance between fuel efficiency and contrail reduction.The need for a holistic approach to aviation sustainability, addressing both CO2 and non-CO2 impacts while maintaining safety.Throughout the conversation, Allroggen advocates for practical experimentation and implementation of contrail mitigation strategies, while acknowledging the uncertainties and challenges involved. He emphasises the importance of making robust decisions despite uncertainties, drawing parallels with everyday decision-making under uncertain conditions.If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversation we had with  Maxime Meijers and Nicolas Meijers, co-founders of Estuaire. 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:Impacts of multi-layer overlap on contrail radiative forcing - DOAJClimate - MIT LAE   Delta to work with MIT to study impact of airplane contrails on climate - CEHS How rerouting planes to produce fewer contrails could help cool the planet - MIT Technology Review How Estuaire’s data platform can help airlines and airports make better sustainability decisions - SimpliFlying 

Karine Guenan, Vice President of the ZEROe ecosystem at Airbus, shares her expertise in pioneering hydrogen-powered aviation. Discover the technical challenges of cryogenic hydrogen storage, including innovative tank designs, and the exploration of propulsion methods for future aircraft. Guenan highlights the extensive partnerships needed to create a robust hydrogen ecosystem involving airports, energy suppliers, and airlines. She emphasizes hydrogen’s zero-emission potential and the importance of collaboration to achieve Airbus's ambitious goal of commercial flight by 2035.

In this conversation, Yann Cabaret, CEO of SITA FOR AIRCRAFT, discusses how data-driven solutions can enhance sustainability in aviation. He emphasizes the SITA EcoMission platform that aids airlines in managing environmental compliance while optimizing costs. Cabaret reveals how SITA OptiFlight helps achieve fuel savings by analyzing specific aircraft data. He also explores the complexities of balancing various environmental factors and highlights the crucial role of operational efficiency in achieving immediate sustainability goals.

Sian Andrews, SESAR Environmental Lead at NATS, UK’s premier air traffic control provider, discusses vital aviation sustainability efforts. She reveals how contrails contribute significantly to climate change, often rivaling CO2 effects. The conversation dives into the CICONIA project aimed at contrail avoidance while optimizing fuel efficiency. Andrews also highlights the concept of ‘green route charging’ to steer airlines away from inefficient routes. Lastly, the Digital European Sky initiative promises a more sustainable future for air traffic management.

In this chat, Bertrand Piccard, a Swiss explorer and clean tech pioneer, discusses his groundbreaking Climate Impulse project aimed at flying a hydrogen aircraft around the world non-stop. He dives into the technical challenges of hydrogen storage and the efficiency of fuel cells. Piccard also shares his vision for sustainable aviation, emphasizing industry shifts beyond hydrogen. Plus, he explores the mental hurdles of innovative flights, urging listeners to embrace challenges as opportunities for growth. His journey advocates for cleaner air travel and the future of zero-emission aviation.

Lee Beck and Tom Walker from the Clean Air Task Force share their insights on decarbonizing aviation. They discuss the potential for synthetic fuels to dominate aviation fuel by 2050 and the challenges faced by biofuels. The conversation highlights hydrogen and ammonia as promising alternatives, stressing the infrastructure shifts required. They also emphasize the importance of carbon capture and an options-based approach to tackle aviation emissions. With a call for diverse solutions and collaborative efforts, they paint a hopeful picture for sustainable flying.

Anko van der Werff, President & CEO of Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), explores the airline's dynamic sustainability journey rooted in Scandinavia’s environmental ethos. He discusses SAS’s innovative three-pillar strategy—Sustainable Aviation Fuel, electric aviation, and hydrogen technology. Van der Werff highlights the airline's Conscious Traveler program, aimed at encouraging eco-friendly choices among passengers. He also shares exciting plans for an electric flight by 2028, balancing essential connectivity with ambitious sustainability goals.

In this episode, we talk to Sarah Ellerby, CEO of Nova Pangaea Technologies (NPT), a UK-based cleantech company that has created a patented technology called the REFNOVA®, to enable SAF production from agricultural and forestry waste.Ellerby discusses:NPT’s REFNOVA® technology, which processes non-food derived feedstocks such as sugarcane bagasse and wheat straw into SAF precursors.The dual-product output of the REFNOVA® process: sustainable sugars for SAF production and biochar for soil enhancement and carbon sequestration.Project Speedbird, a collaboration between Nova Pangaea Technologies, British Airways, and LanzaJet, which has secured £9 million in UK government funding.The challenges of scaling SAF production, including the need for significant investment and the importance of a blended finance approach involving both public and private sectors.Throughout the conversation, Ellerby emphasises the critical role of strategic partnerships and government support in advancing SAF production. She also shares NPT’s efforts to de-risk their technology and business model to attract larger investments needed for commercial-scale production.Looking to the future, Ellerby outlines NPT’s goals for scaling up production to meet the UK’s SAF mandates, while acknowledging the challenges in funding and executing large-scale projects.If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversation we had with Jimmy Samartzis, CEO of LanzaJet, who shares the company’s journey in developing the world’s first proven ATJ technology that converts ethanol into SAF and renewable diesel. 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:Our biomass refinement process - Nova Pangaea Technologies Project Speedbird wins £9m UK funding for SAF production - Biofuels International MagazineNew investment in Nova Pangaea Technologies added to IAG’s $865 million SAF commitment - GreenAir News LanzaJet plans to produce 1 billion gallons of SAF by 2030 - SimpliFlying 

Freshta Farzam, the founder and CEO of LYTE Aviation, is revolutionizing the eVTOL industry with a focus on larger capacity aircraft. She discusses the inspiration for their 40-seater SkyBus, aiming to transform regional travel while challenging the trend of smaller air taxis. Farzam highlights the significance of hybrid propulsion systems and the potential for hydrogen fuel. She envisions partnerships that will integrate eVTOLs into existing transport infrastructure, paving the way for sustainable aviation in the future.

In this episode, we talk to Maxime Meijers and Nicolas Meijers, co-founders of Estuaire, who share insights into their innovative data platform that provides comprehensive climate impact assessments for the aviation industry.Maxime and Nicolas share:The development of Estuaire’s data platform, which fuses various data sources to provide granular and exhaustive climate impact modelling for individual flights.The significant impact of non-CO2 emissions, particularly contrails, which can represent an additional 30% climate impact on top of CO2 emissions.The importance of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in reducing both CO2 and non-CO2 emissions, and Estuaire’s approach to optimising SAF allocation for maximum climate benefit.The surprising finding that only 2% of flights are responsible for 80% of aviation’s contrail warming effect, and how Estuaire’s technology helps identify these high-impact flights.The potential for airlines to achieve significant climate savings through small changes in flight operations, such as slight altitude adjustments to avoid contrail-prone areas.Throughout the conversation, Maxime and Nicolas emphasise the unique transparency of the aviation sector and how Estuaire leverages this data to drive actionable insights for airlines, airports, and other stakeholders in the aviation ecosystem. Looking to the future, they discuss their ambitious goal of having 10 major airlines successfully implement contrail mitigation programs within the next year, showcasing the potential for rapid progress in sustainable aviation practices.If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversation we had with Alejandra Martín Frías, Head of Sustainability Research at FLIGHTKEYS, who shares insights into the company’s research on contrail avoidance and its potential impact on aviation sustainability. 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:EstuaireContrail Index - Estuaire ESTUAIRE raises €2.2M in seed round to reduce the climate impact of aviation - Safran How FLIGHTKEYS promises major climate gains at a minimal cost - SimpliFlying