Green 101: Airlines and the Environment

By Milena Viljoen

According to a report by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on planes and climate change, air travel (passenger, shipping, and military) accounts for approximately 3 percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions. But unlike emissions from factories on the ground, planes flying high in the air deposit carbon dioxide, ozone, methane, and other greenhouse gases directly into the stratosphere, and so contribute more directly to climate change.

Increasingly, the airline industry has faced a more vocal public concerned about the sustainability of airline travel. More and more, people are demanding to know what airlines and plane manufacturers are doing to help ease the industry’s environmental footprint. 

The fact is, technology advances in the past mean that these days, planes are actually traveling much farther, with more people, on the same amount of fuel as compared to 40 years ago. But with even more people flying each year (passenger travel is growing by 5 percent annually), gains in fuel efficiency have easily been outstripped by the sheer increase in the number of planes in the air.

So what, exactly, is the airline industry to do?

Despite Virgin Atlantic’s historic use of corn-based biofuel,  airlines won’t likely be clamoring for ethanol to improve their footprints. The possible long-term impact of corn-based biofuels on food prices, as well as their environmental impacts (such as contributions to deforestation), make it unlikely that corn-based fuels will be used widely.

Even Virgin Atlantic’s Richard Branson and Boeing (which manufactured the Virgin Atlantic plane used in the historic flight) admit that algae is a more likely source for biofuel. Although KLM has announced plans to test-run algae-fueled planes soon, the technology is years away from being used commercially.

Hydrogen-fuel technology, while already a reality for automobiles, is still in the concept phase for planes.

Today, airlines can make immediate smaller changes to help improve their fuel efficiency. Idling less, shorter taxi times, slower speeds, and more direct flights could all help reduce the airline industry’s environmental footprint.

Most likely, planes will continue to raise fuel efficiency through improved design. At last year’s Paris Air Show, engine makers, materials designers, and airlines were all on hand to share their ideas. From more fuel-efficient engines to more exact electrical components that regulate fuel, small improvements are contributing to larger-scale fuel economy.

In addition to changes to the innards, airplane manufacturers are also looking at larger changes to overall plane structure. The ultra-lightweight carbon fiber used by Boeing's 787 improves the plane’s aerodynamics and reduces its overall weight, improving fuel efficiency. Other planes, like Airbus’ A-380, will simply carry more passengers on a regular plane, reducing the per-person emissions of the flight.