Policy

According to docments leaked to BBC News, the UK Government is trying to have aviation exempted from EU targets to increase renewable energy to 20% by 2020.

Aviation should be omitted from the targets because of uncertainty over the green credentials of biofuels. If the 20% target for biofuels cannot be met from sustainable sources by 2020 it is pointless including this sector, say the documents from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR).

Whitehall officials are also contesting the renewables targets for homes, as well as lobbying for nuclear power and clean coal to be included in the targets.

Meanwhile, environmental groups are welcoming the move by Boeing, Honeywell’s UOP and nine leading airlines to accelerate the development and commercialization of sustainable biofuels.

The first two research projects will look at the potential of jatropha curcas (a non-food shrub that flourishes in arid regions) and algae.

“We welcome the aviation sector’s will to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and appreciate their efforts to ensure the sustainability of their biofuels sourcing,” says Jean-Philippe Denruyter of WWF.

Boeing has also announced that British Airways is the latest airline to adopt its ‘performance improvement package’ (PIP) for its 777 fleet.

The technology enables a 1% fuel efficiency gain and is expected to reduce 1,360,800 kg of CO₂ emissions per aircraft each year.

According to company estimates, the efficiency measure could reduce fuel costs by $200,000 per aircraft per year.

Ten Boeing 777 fleets are already signed up to PIP. Continental Airlines, Air New Zealand and Delta were the first to adopt the package, followed by El Al Israel Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Air France, KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines and now British Airways.

“Any cost-effective measures to improve fuel efficiency and reduce carbon emissions are to be welcomed,” says Robert Boyle, commercial director of British Airways.

For further information:
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7636780.stm
www.berr.gov.uk/
www.boeing.com/