GREEN FLIGHT TAKES OFF
Honeywell is committed to help push the greening of the aerospace industry with innovative technologies, alongside industrywide efforts such as sustainable aviation fuel, and improved operations and infrastructure.
Studies say that aviation accounts for around 2.5 per cent of global CO2 emissions. “While it might not seem like a very big contribution, the industry has been playing an important role for more than a decade to be responsible in mitigating the rise in global warming by making air travel sustainable,” notes Andrew Wong, Vice President, Airlines, Asia Pacific, Honeywell Aerospace
“Industry and concerned stakeholders are working together with governments to help reduce the impact of aviation on the global climate with dedicated measures in place,” Wong says. “Despite the impact of the pandemic on the aviation sector, industry leaders such as many airlines are committed to pursuing a green recovery for a sustainable industry in the long term”.
For its part, IATA (International Air Transport Association) has declared that recognizing the need to combat the global challenge of climate change and traveling sustainably remains a top priority, and together with its members, it has committed to cut CO2 emissions in half by 2050. The industry association foresees the achievement of these goals through innovative technologies, sustainable aviation fuel, and improved operations and infrastructure.
“Meanwhile, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has also been standing at the forefront by developing a green agenda to support the environmental and economic benefits that promises a more efficient, carbon sensitive and sustainable air transport sector,” Wong highlights.
“Besides, many big aircraft manufacturers such as the Airbus and Boeing are producing fuel efficient aircrafts such as the Airbus A350 XWB and Boeing 737 Dreamliner.” The industry has also started investing and engaging in research to develop improved technologies and next generation of aircrafts which can help fuel efficiency, as well as electric aircrafts that can be propelled by both fuel and an electric battery, he adds.
Approaches to Decarbonization
Wong believes that zero emission and decarbonization are “possible in the long term”. For over a decade now, the aviation industry has become one of the first to commit to a long-term sustainability plan, he points out. “There has been many efforts and methods developed to lower carbon footprint and reach net-zero emissions from air transport across the global sector, including alternative fuel sources like hydrogen, the introduction of sustainable technologies and continued improvements in operations.”
To reduce emissions further, Wong says industry players can deploy more efficient air traffic management and better use of existing aircrafts. “Carriers also need to identify new and innovative ways to save fuel. While new aircraft and engine technologies are still years in the future, the aviation industry has been evolving and developing technologies that can quickly and effectively contribute to the effort of lowering aircraft fuel consumption.”
For its part, software company Honeywell is developing power systems for urban air mobility (UAM) such as a hybrid-electric turbo-generator that combines the HTS900 turbine engine with two 200-kilovolt generators. In fact, HTS900 is known for its low specific fuel consumption and is quieter, safer, and cleaner for applications ranging from helicopter operations to hybridelectric aircraft. In March this year, Honeywell also announced its latest development of a turbo-generator that will be able to run on aviation biofuel, including Honeywell Green Jet Fuel, which is chemically similar to fossil fuel but made from more sustainable alternatives, as well as conventional jet fuel and diesel.
Wong points out that other industry solutions are being implemented. Today, flight data and software analytics can also provide immediate insight and long-term initiatives to drive ‘Green Recovery’ for airlines, he says. “There is a need for airlines to become digital to keep up with competition and the emerging environmental movement.” He shares that Honeywell has introduced a powerful flight data analytics platform, Honeywell Forge Flight Efficiency, that can provide the highest benefit to airlines in their fuel savings capabilities by analysing and unlocking critical performance and operational indicators in-flight efficiency, as well as tracking their emissions and measuring the emissions impact resulting from fuel efficiency measures.
Last month, according to Wong, Honeywell pledged its commitment to become carbon neutral in its operations and facilities by 2035 through a combination of further investment in energy savings projects, conversion to renewable energy sources, completion of capital improvement projects at its sites and in its fleet of company vehicles, and utilization of credible carbon credits. “These initiatives represent a continuation of the company’s
sustainability efforts since 2004, which have already driven a more than 90 per cent reduction in the greenhouse gas intensity of its operations and facilities.”
The same goes for the aviation industry, Wong adds, Honeywell continues to invest in other leading-edge sustainability technologies, including investing in a portfolio of electric, hybridelectric and fuel cell technologies. Electrification is our pathway to zero emissions and decarbonization in aviation. Electrification gives us new ways to build and operate aircrafts. “We are on the verge of witnessing the explosive growth in air taxis and autonomous cargo aircraft. These new vehicles and their ondemand business models are made possible by distributed electric propulsion. Electric propulsion makes it possible to build simpler, safer, and quieter aircraft that can operate directly from urban vertiports,” he reveals.
“At Honeywell, we recognise that hydrogen fuel cells and aviation electrification represent hard, deep tech problems. A hydrogen fuel cell is a widely deployed example of a fuel cell. A complete hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system can hold 3 to 5 times the energy as the equivalent mass battery electric system. Fuel cell systems can be refueled in 5 to 10 minutes at the pump, while batteries need to be charged for 30-45 minutes.”
Last year, Honeywell has acquired Ballard Unmanned Systems to mature and scale its industry-leading heavy-duty fuel cell technology. “Together we are taking a stepwise approach to the market. This includes starting with small to medium civil and military UAS that can immediately take advantage of the high specific energy, quiet operations, and high reliability of fuel cell technologies.
“We will also scale our technology to provide hydrogen-electric hybrid propulsion for longer range air taxis and regional mobility aircraft. Here we aim to combine the high-power density of batteries with the high energy density of hydrogen fuel cells to enable vertical take-off and landing and maximize total aircraft performance.
“And finally, we will build reliable and lightweight electric motors and power electronics. This is essential to all forms of electric propulsion: battery-electric, hydrogen, or hybrid electric.”
Today, Honeywell is starting by bringing hydrogen to leading use cases in unmanned aircraft, air taxis and beyond, Wong reports. “We are integrating long-duration fuel cell power systems into small and medium UAVs for commercial and defense applications. We are also developing novel hydrogen storage technologies that will permit even greater flight range and endurance than compressed hydrogen can afford.
“Currently, we are working with leaders like Vertical Aerospace and Pipistrel to realize the vision of accessible air taxis and autonomous aerial cargo. At Honeywell, we are always asking ourselves how we can build technologies that will help aviation scale and grow in new directions, how can we do so sustainably, and how we can make our aircraft partners more successful by building what is next. Well, electric flight is next; hydrogen is next. Let’s build it together.”