The UK is well placed to lead on the global development of zero
emissions flights, according to a new report from Green Alliance.
But researchers say the government's forthcoming industrial
strategy must steer the UK aerospace industry towards the right
green technologies, backed by firmer emissions targets.
No country has taken a lead yet on zero emissions flights, which
produce no carbon-based emissions from their exhaust. The UK has
a large, research driven and export oriented aerospace industry
that could give it an advantage over potential competitors Japan,
China, the United States and Norway. British firms have expertise
in manufacturing engines, wings and fuel tanks, and the sector
has comparative advantage in advanced manufacturing.
But airlines may have a single opportunity to replace polluting
planes in their fleets between now and 2050, when many climate
change targets need to be met. Commercial aircraft operate for
22.5 years on average, so a substantial number will need to enter
service the next time airlines upgrade their fleets to make an
impact on the aviation industry's carbon emissions. This means
there is limited time to get a UK market for clean aviation off
the ground.
Many technologies are in development to provide zero emissions
flights, which means industrial strategy has an important
coordinating role. Battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell
technologies are likely to service shorter routes with smaller
planes, say researchers at Green Alliance, while hydrogen
combustion will be more suitable for longer routes and larger
planes. Ministers recently announced £250 million of funding for
clean aviation technologies as a signal that the government is
“backing aerospace” in its industrial strategy, but more will be
needed to attract sufficient investment in the development of
zero emissions flights in the UK.
The credibility of the UK's plans for cleaner flying has been
called in to question recently by ministers announcing expansion
of London's airports. Researchers say that the resulting increase
in emissions means the development of zero emissions flights will
be even more important, but they must not be an excuse for
further expansion of airport capacity, especially before the
scalability of new technologies is proven.
The government set an ambition for all domestic flights to have
net zero emissions by 2040, but this can include offsetting the
emissions of flights powered by fossil fuels. Green Alliance
argues that a firmer target for half of domestic flights to have
zero carbon emissions by 2040 would spur investment in the UK's
aerospace and aviation businesses.
Stuart Dossett, senior policy advisor at Green Alliance, said:
“The UK's clean aviation industry is cleared for take off, and
hydrogen powered flight alone could add £37 billion to the
economy by 2050. But the government needs to clearly signal that
it plans to move the sector away from fossil fuels, develop the
new technologies in the UK and make sure the right ones are ready
at the right time. Its industrial strategy is the right
opportunity to do this, and set out a plan to ensure the right
technologies are ready at the right time.”
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