"We Are Focusing On Transitioning to Sustainable Aviation Fuels"
On the need to address sustainability in aviation
The impact of climate change is undeniable. The aviation sector has been called one of the major contributors to carbon emissions, and with air travel only increasing worldwide, it is essential for the sector to make urgent, concerted efforts to bring emissions down.
On challenges and opportunities for sustainability in aviation
What we must recognise is that the need is here and now. So, the journey to making aviation sustainable must move at pace, and that is the main challenge. Evolution cannot happen without industry, government, academia and every stakeholder in the ecosystem wanting it to happen, and that includes all of us. We all know it’s the right thing to do, and we just need to go do it.
On promising innovations happening today
The UN’s call to reach net-zero by 2050 has been heard and understood and now people are actively looking at ways to implement these changes. Rather than solely seeking disruptive innovations, we are also seeing a lot of incremental innovation. At Rolls-Royce, we are focusing on transitioning to Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) and ensuring the compatibility of all our products with SAFs. At the same time, disruptive innovations like electrification are also taking place. For a shift to electric, we need to look at various factors across the value chain- from sourcing batteries and lighter invertors to charging infrastructure to the fuels powering the batteries. The path to true sustainability goes all the way up the value chain from green hydrogen production down to disruptive innovations in electric technology.
On technological advancements in engine technology and alternative fuels
We are constantly working on enhancing the efficiency, reliability, and safety of our engines. When we shift our focus to electric propulsion, it's crucial to acknowledge that transitioning to this technology is a significant endeavour that will require time. While it presents numerous opportunities, it's not a straightforward journey, and its realisation will be gradual. In the interim, to demonstrate our commitment to sustainable aviation, we are turning to alternative fuels like Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Factors such as the availability and affordability of these fuels also come into play, making it a multi-faceted challenge. Collaboration across the value chain is also important to making SAF work. For example, producers of SAF should commit to scaling up production, Rolls-Royce as a technology-provider is committed to proving that its aerospace engines are compatible with 100 per cent SAF, and airline companies need to commit to using more SAF in the future.
