Sir Roger Bone on air travel and beating climate change

It’s a tremendous challenge, but one to which we are committed. Air travel will continue to grow. It is an essential part of modern life, helping to drive global economic growth and prosperity, and bringing the people of the world closer together. But as we grow, we need to play our part, as a manufacturer, in this global challenge.  
 
So, we are committed to building aircraft that are as environmentally progressive as possible. 

This means pioneering new technologies. We do this by leveraging 75 percent of our R&D investments on environmental performance improvements for future aircraft generations with an emphasis on CO2, noise and alternative fuels.

We also pursue manufacturing and product lifecycle improvements by developing ISO 14001 certification plans for all Boeing Commercial Aircraft manufacturing sites and using 'Lean' design and production practices to drive results – this includes maximum use of recycling.

The upshot is that we deliver new products and services that will achieve at least 15 percent improvement in CO2 and fuel efficiency in each new aircraft generation.  We also work with our customers, industry and Government to improve environmental performance of current fleets in order to achieve a 25 percent improvement by 2020.

All of this is part of an ongoing legacy of integrating environmental performance improvements through technology advancements. Over the last 50 years, aircraft carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have been reduced by approximately 70 percent and the noise footprint area has been reduced by approximately 90 percent. That legacy continues today with every aircraft we design and build. 

Let me now turn to the specifics of a couple of our aircraft programmes.

Boeing’s newest aircraft, the 787 Dreamliner and the 747-8, exemplify our dedication to environmental design innovation. Incorporating four innovative technologies — new engines, increased use of lightweight composite materials, high-efficiency systems applications, and modern aerodynamics — the 787 delivers a 20 percent improvement in fuel use and an equivalent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared to similarly-sized aircraft.

As far as Nox is concerned, the aircraft is designed to significantly beat the Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP) 2008  regulations. On noise, acoustically treated engine inlets and high-bypass ratio along with other special treatments for the engines mean that the noise footprint of the 787 is 60 percent smaller than those of today’s similarly sized aircraft.

The 747-8 offers a 16 percent improvement in fuel use and CO2 emissions over the 747-400. The new GEnx-2B67 engines incorporate the latest technologies — such as a composite fan case and blades and a revolutionary turbine — to create double digit efficiency gains over the engines it replaces. Its ultra-efficient structure provides the lowest operating empty weight per seat of any large aircraft.

Lastly, the new-design wing incorporates the latest aerodynamic airfoils, raked tips and a simplified lightweight flap design, further improving the overall fuel efficiency. So far as noise is concerned, Boeing was able to reduce the 747-8 noise footprint around an airport by 30 percent compared to today’s 747-400.

We are also integrating environmentally progressive technologies in our current aircraft programmes. The Boeing 737 uses advanced technology Blended Winglets that lower fuel burn by as much as four percent, reduce noise on takeoff and approach, and reduce emissions through lower cruise thrust. In addition to new aircraft, winglets are also available on a retrofit basis by our partner company Aviation Partners Boeing, providing environmental performance benefits to existing aircraft.

Let me know turn to alternative fuels.   

Synthetic kerosene can be made from coal, natural gas, or other hydrocarbon resources and can be produced by first turning the resource into gases, which are then recombined to form hydrocarbon liquids.  Synthetic kerosene can be tailored to have similar properties to petroleum kerosene and can thus be thought of as a “drop-in” replacement. 

Synthetic kerosene from coal has been used in aviation before, however, such fuel production from coal is an energy intensive process that, in the absence of proven methods to capture and sequester, produces significantly higher CO2 emissions than the production of petroleum-derived fuel.

Other fuels that have been considered for aviation include hydrogen, natural gas, ethanol, methanol, and propane (LPG) .  All represent significant challenges and would require new aircraft and fuel delivery systems.  Hydrogen and natural gas must be used in their liquid form, which requires storage at extremely cold temperatures. Hydrogen burns cleanly, but its production is very energy intensive and it emits large quantities of water vapor with uncertain effects on cloud formation and the atmosphere.

None of these possible solutions meet the essential criteria.  Alternative aviation fuels must provide life-cycle environmental performance improvements over conventional petroleum fuels, as well as meeting the technical and safety requirements that are unique to aviation. They must also have a high energy content per unit weight and volume and perform well in the harsh aircraft environment. We need step-change improvements in CO2 emissions as well as continuing incremental improvements in local air quality emissions. Production and distribution must be economically viable, sustainable and scaleable for years to come. The primary goal is to find drop-in replacements that yield the most short term environmental benefits in the current global commercial fleet, and accelerate research and development for viable long term alternatives.

So where have we got to in our research?  Until only a handful of years ago it was inconceivable to think that commercial aircraft might one day be powered by fuels derived from biomass. It is no longer inconceivable. Indeed, far from it. The last two to three years have seen a concentrated surge of research activity into developing sustainable and economically viable new biofuel solutions. 

One milestone in that process was the first test that we undertook using a mixture of biofuels and traditional kerosene-based fuel on board a Virgin 747-400 in February 2008. Through three more succesive test flights with Air New Zealand, Continental and Japan Airlines we have worked in partnership not only with the airlines, but with the major engine manufacturers and with sustainable biofuels organisations. Collectively, we have tested a variety of biofuels that can be sustainably grown, including  Jatropha, Baboussa, Algae and Camelina amongst others. The objective has been to prove the technical applicability of second generation biofuels to commercial aviation. The initial results are more than encouraging. They show a technical performance that is potentially better than traditional kerosene, with a two per cent increase in energy content and a freezing point that is considerably lower. As well as the lower CO2 lifecycle with biofuels, we are seeing a cleaner burn in terms of lower sulfur and particulate emissions. There is a great deal of excitement in the industry about second generation bio fuels and the expectation is that we will have these fuels in service, as an admixture to kerosene, within three to five years. 

And the emerging consensus is that there may be no reason why such biofuels cannot ultimately replace kerosene. And in pushing towards that goal, we focus on the sustainability of potential fuel sources, and hold ourselves accountable to the highest standard to ensure that fair trade, equitable sourcing and sustainable farming practices are evident throughout the fuel acquisition process.

It is always a risky business forecasting changes of this kind. No-one in the industry, two of three years ago, would have chanced their arm in this way. But it is testimony to the intensity of current research that we believe we can look ahead in this way. 

As the approaching summer months invite us outdoors, they remind us that innovative, bio-based solutions are all around us if we’re willing to work together to protect them and develop them for what they are; potential catalysts of real and significant change for the benefit of us all. 

(This is a transcript of a speech delivered by Sir Roger Bone at the Aviation And Climate Change Conference held this week in London)