Sustainability
Going Green!
How aviation can become more sustainable
Sustainability is the key to a successful future in aviation. The big challenge lies in increasing ecological efficiency while at the same time improving the profitability of aviation in general.
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Airlines and airport operators must live up to their ecological responsibility of offering environmentally friendly air travel.
The entire aviation industry must become more sustainable
Aviation is a precious asset for a globalized society—economically, but above all in terms of worldwide cultural exchange. Governments recognized this during the Coronavirus pandemic. In the first year of the pandemic alone, some $215 billion in government aid was poured into the aviation industry worldwide. But aid funds alone will not secure the industry's economic future. In fact, the pandemic is forcing the entire sector to make decisions that will make all aviation more sustainable in the future - and not only because government pandemic funding was paid out in part on the condition that it also be used to establish more sustainable processes. On the contrary, airlines are aware of two essential conditions for long-term economic success post pandemic. First, they must meet their ecological responsibility to provide environmentally sustainable air transport. And second, to survive future crises, it is imperative to operate more sustainably.
The aviation industry has set itself an ambitious goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2050.
Reducing CO2 emissions in the air and on the ground
The industry has set itself an ambitious goal in terms of environmental sustainability. It wants to be climate-neutral by 2050. With this in mind, the U.S. airline United Airlines has declared a goal of becoming 100% green - in other words, zero emissions. But how should this work? Of course, the most important thing is to reduce CO2 emissions during the flight itself. To achieve this, airlines are currently focusing more and more on the use of kerosene-saving engines. In addition, alternative fuels are being used, mostly as an admixture to conventional kerosene. In the medium and long term, the aim is to promote the development and market maturity of alternative fuels and ensure that the same conditions exist everywhere for their global market launch.
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CO2 can be reduced not only in the air but also throughout the entire ground-handling process.
However, CO2 can be reduced not only in the air, but also throughout the entire ground handling process at the airport. In addition to alternative fuels and engines, reducing CO2 emissions primarily involves optimizing logistical processes with specialized software. This begins with the many trips made by various vehicles. Every trip made by a passenger bus or a tow truck results in fuel consumption, poor air, and noise. Through optimized route planning, however, fewer vehicles travel shorter distances. And that means lower CO2 emissions, less noise, better air quality, and an overall healthier environment for residents, passengers, and employees. In addition, geofences and speed controls in software systems prevent ground support equipment (GSE) accidents on the tarmac.
Frankfurt Airport is a pioneer
Frankfurt Airport is a pioneer in this respect. Its operating company, Fraport, is determined to reduce CO2 emissions to 80,000 metric tons by 2030. This equals a 65 % reduction compared to 1990, the airport's base year. By 2050, the airport wants to reduce this to zero tons. Ground-handling management plays a decisive role in this. Since 1991, Frankfurt Airport has been using INFORM software to manage ground handling. For example, it helps to locate the entire fleet of tarmac equipment, plans its deployment, and supports maintenance. It also provides the airport with a transparent overview of all vehicles and their status.
Positive economic effects
The way in which transparency and intelligent management by specialized algorithms work together not only improves the ecological balance, it also demonstrates positive effects in terms of a more sustainable economy. Frankfurt Airport has achieved major savings regarding equipment, maintenance costs, and workload. For example, it has reduced the number of mobile units used to supply ground power to aircraft from 70 to 64 and the number of loading vehicles from 120 to 118, resulting in savings of 770,000 euros and maintenance savings of 70,000 euros per year. This also means fewer new purchases, less fuel, and reduced manual operating hours.
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Much of what is technologically essential for sustainable air transport is already available today.
Making good use of existing technology
The aviation industry has set itself ambitious goals in terms of sustainability. And much of what is technologically essential for sustainable air transport is already available today. This applies to intelligent software systems as well as alternative propulsion technologies. That is why it is important to use the options that already exist today, develop them further, and put them to good use.
Sustainability in the Supply Chain
INFORM develops software with AI technology and supports companies in implementing sustainable business processes.