According to the Director of the Association, the roadmaps are a call to action for all aviation stakeholders to get involved, and provide the necessary tools for the transformation to be a success.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has released a series of roadmaps intended to provide step-by-step details of actions and dependencies critical for aviation to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. These roadmaps address the aircraft technology, power infrastructure, operations, finance, and policy considerations that lead to net zero.
With the adoption of a Long Term Aspirational Goal (LTAG) at the 41st ICAO Assembly, governments and industry are aligned to achieve the same goal of net zero carbon emissions. CO2 by 2050. As the policy initiatives lay the foundation on which many of the necessary innovations and actions will rest, these roadmaps will be a critical point of reference for policy makers.
“The roadmaps are the first detailed assessment of the key steps needed to accelerate the transition to net zero by 2050. Together, they show a clear direction and will evolve as we go deeper to establish intermediate milestones on the path to net zero. I must emphasize that waybills are not just for airlines. Governments, suppliers and financiers cannot be bystanders in the aviation decarbonisation journey. They have skin in the game. The roadmaps are a call to action for all aviation stakeholders to deliver the tools needed to make this fundamental aviation transformation a success with policies and products fit for a net zero emissions world,” Willie said. Walsh, Director General of IATA.
The roadmaps were not developed in isolation. A peer review, supplemented by a modeling tool provided by the University College London (UCL) Air Transport Systems Laboratory, was carried out to calculate the emission reductions for each technology.
Highlights from each roadmap include:
Aeronautical technology: the development of more efficient aircraft and engines. Particularly important are the steps needed to enable aircraft to run on aviation fuel (SAF), hydrogen or 100% sustainable batteries. All development milestones are supported by announced investments and demo programs. Also included are new engines, aerodynamics, airframes, and flight systems.
Power Infrastructure and New Fuels: The focus is on fuels and new power infrastructure upstream of airports needed to facilitate the use of SAF or hydrogen-powered aircraft. Renewable energy plays a vital role in meeting the energy demand of the aviation sector, and the roadmap outlines milestones to enable the necessary infrastructure developments.
Operations: Opportunities to reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency by improving the way existing aircraft are operated. Automation, big data management and the integration of new technologies are key factors in optimizing air traffic management and improving the overall efficiency of the air transport system.
Policy: The need for globally aligned strategic policies to provide incentives and support for the aviation industry’s transition to a net zero emissions future. As with all other successful energy transitions, collaboration between governments and industry stakeholders is crucial to create the framework needed to achieve decarbonization goals.
Finance: How to finance the cumulative $5 trillion needed to bring aviation to net zero by 2050. This includes technological advances, infrastructure developments, and operational improvements.
The challenges to increase SAF production are a good example of the importance of these roadmaps. As a drop-in solution, SAF is expected to deliver about 62% of the carbon mitigation needed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. But while SAF is expected to be fully deployable with the future aircraft fleet, it still has significant interdependencies in terms of policies. , aeronautical technology, energy infrastructure, financing and operations for which these roadmaps are essential.
«The roadmaps show where all stakeholders need to focus their efforts. There are two certainties. By 2050, we must be net zero carbon emissions. And the steps to get there outlined in these roadmaps will evolve as you grow industry experience. Policy is particularly important early on as it largely sets the stage for private sector investors to move in. With that, the private sector can decarbonise at scale and quickly,» he said Marie Owens Thomsen, Senior Vice President of Sustainability and Chief Economist at IATA. .
“Without the right policy incentives and bold investments, many of the technologies and innovations simply won’t happen on a large scale. Everything is related, and that is why we have the five roadmaps to bring all the parallel elements together and give our stakeholders, including governments, a full understanding of everything that needs to happen,” said Owens Thomsen.
“Time is of the essence, as highlighted in these roadmaps. Immediate action is required to commercialize scalable zero-carbon energy storage solutions together with the required infrastructure, and to build a business case for their rapid delivery at gigawatt scale,” said Professor Andreas Schafer, Director of the Energy Systems Laboratory. UCL Air Transport.