Impressive Innovations That Will Make Your Flights Eco-Friendly

The aviation industry is truly inspiring. Somehow, humans managed to achieve what was biologically impossible and turn it into our new everyday. In 1903, the 12-second flight achieved by the Wright Brothers was considered an unbelievable feat. 122 years later, a metal object soaring at 36,000ft in the sky raises no eyebrows, and typically up to 1.7 million people fly at a time in these machines.

However, it is not unknown that the way we fly comes with a cost to the environment. Carbon emissions from aviation totalled to 882 million tonnes in 2023 and is one of the many anthropogenic factors pushing the climate to its final tipping point. So, how is the industry changing to prevent this? 

In 2024, I won the UK’s first electric flying scholarship with the Air League, which enabled me to get up close to (and fly!) the only certified electric aircraft - the Pipistrel Velis Electro. The Velis Electro is a 2-seater aircraft with a range of around 50 minutes/94 miles (not including 10 minutes of reserve battery) and only produces around 60dB of sound. While it may not be the best option for private pilots wanting to take multiple passengers for a long flight, it has the ability to take over flight school fleets so students can practice circuits and manoeuvres without adding to their carbon footprint. 

Another innovation helping to make your flights eco-friendly is a type of fuel: Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). This is a type of biofuel derived from natural resources like cooking oil, forest waste and general waste. It can serve as a replacement for typical jet fuel which release 3 tonnes of carbon dioxide for every tonne of fuel combusted. Alternatively, SAFs may be generated using carbon captured from the atmosphere and hydrogen from the oceans to create hydrocarbons that can be combusted. These fuels can reduce emissions for commercial aircraft by up to 80% without being costly or requiring a dramatic change in infrastructure. 

In the next couple of decades, there’s a good chance that you’ll begin to see newer aircraft that are low/ non-polluting. For example, the ES-30 is a concept design made by Heart Aerospace which is expected to be a regional aircraft similar to the Bombardier Dash-8 Q400. Its engines have a hybrid design, meaning they can run on a combination of fuel and electricity – like hybrid electric cars do. It can carry up to 30 passengers and fly for a distance of 400km (like London to Amsterdam), or 200km on pure electricity. While we can’t expect this aircraft to be capable of many international routes, it is a sustainable option for small regional flights which may be essential for getting to some remote areas.

Another non-polluting concept design is Airbus’s Zero-E project. While it is currently unknown whether the aircraft will have a turboprop, turbofan or blended-wing design, it is certain that it will run on hydrogen which will come from the electrolysis (splitting of) water molecules. Hydrogen will be stored in cryogenic tanks in the aircraft at temperatures of around -253 degrees Celsius. The concept design was expected to be in the skies at Gatwick Airport with EasyJet in 2035, however delays will push that into the 2040s.   

Aircraft design, material and operation are also crucial to managing in-flight emissions. Newer aircraft like the Boeing 787 and the Airbus A350 have been made partially from carbon-fibre (lighter reinforced plastic) to reduce aircraft weight. This means less thrust is needed during the flight, reducing emissions. Newer engines like the CFM LEAP-1A on the A320Neo are designed to be more fuel efficient and have a higher bypass ratio (ratio of flow rate of air bypassing the engine core to flow of air passing through the core) which helps to reduce air and noise pollution. Carbon offsetting schemes like supporting natural carbon sinks or paying carbon credits are also used by some airlines (for example British Airways) and airports (like Gatwick Airport) as part of plans to become carbon neutral. 

While impressive efforts are being made to make your flights eco-friendly, there are still limitations currently preventing the industry from being environmentally sustainable. For example, proposed electric and hydrogen aircraft only have the range for short-haul routes, therefore there is currently no solution other than SAFs to decarbonise long-haul flights. This is a significant issue as there are 4000 of these flights daily, which will increase with demand in the future.

The sources of electric batteries for the Velis Electro and future aircraft may also come with an unfortunate environmental cost from the mining to gain the materials required. This includes the risk of toxic leachates from the site polluting the surrounding environment and the fuel needed to operate the mining machinery (also known as embodied energy). Alongside these issues, upfront cost is a significant problem for many companies wanting to use these innovations. Newer infrastructure, aircraft fleets and energy supplies will be necessary to accommodate eco-friendly operations – an expensive change to make! 

Despite the barriers to achieving true environmental sustainability in aviation, it is entirely possible that goals of carbon neutrality can be achieved if strong collaborative efforts are made. More and more progress is happening, and I can confirm that an exciting future in aviation is ahead of us.