Airbus "seriously aims for decarbonisation", works on electric airplanes

European multinational aircraft manufacturer Airbus “seriously aims for decarbonisation”, the company’s CEO Guillaume Faury said at the "Airbus Innovation Days" in French city Toulouse, reports business daily Handelsblatt. With several projects, the company explores the possibilities of emission-free aviation. The latest addition is a joint project with SAS Scandinavian Airlines for hybrid and electric aircraft eco-system and infrastructure requirements research. The project focusses on analysing the impact of ground infrastructure and charging on range, resources, time and availability at airports. “This multidisciplinary approach—from energy to infrastructure - aims to address the entire aircraft operations ecosystem in order to better support the aviation industry's transition to sustainable energy,” the companies write in a press release.

Global direct aviation emissions account for more than 2 percent of global emissions, roughly equivalent to the total greenhouse gas output of Germany. By 2020, global aviation emissions are projected to be about 70 percent higher than in 2005 and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) forecasts that the sector's greenhouse gas output could grow by a further 300 percent to 700 percent by 2050, leading to political debate over banning airborne transportation under certain circumstances. Many projects explore the possibilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in aviation. German Lilium and the “Silent Air Taxi” by German e-car pioneer Günther Schuh are some of several different concepts for establishing e-aircrafts as a means of short-distance transportation in Germany. Among the best known is also Volocopter, which operates in a way similar to unmanned toy drones.