Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Technologies and Strategies for Gaseous Emissions Reduction in Aeroplane - Essay Example

Student Name: Tutor: Title: Technologies and strategies for Gaseous Emissions reduction in Aeroplane Course: Technologies and strategies for Gaseous Emissions reduction in Aeroplane Introduction Demand for air travel is driven by both international and domestic leisure and business travel together with international trade and economic growth. Over the past several years air travel has undergone high growth. The increasing demand for aviation transport has significantly led to increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Low-carbon fuels will not realize substantial market penetration that will lower the greenhouse gas emissions from aircrafts (Webb et al, 2008). Commercial aviation community grapples with the need to evaluate the impacts of aviation emissions concerning air quality. Climate change and global warming has made experts to be worried about the impact of emissions into the environment on posterity. Aviation sector contributes significantly to greenhouse emissions but there are strategies and technologies that are in place to try and mitigate the challenge of gaseous emissions by aeroplanes. Discussion Aircraft engines emit emissions that are a replica of other emissions as a result of fossil fuel combustion. Most of the aircraft emissions are emitted at an altitude. These emissions are a source of concern with regard to environmental pollution and degradation. Aircraft produce gases as well as particles that change atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases, increase cirrus cloudiness, and precipitate the condensation of trails and all these result into climate change. Aeroplanes contribute to about 3.5% of all the radioactive forcing occasions by human activities. Under Kyoto Protocol countries are required to be accountable for domestic flights emissions (Lukachko et al, 2008). In most circumstances very little has been done to ensure this target is accomplished. Through evolution, newer, fuel-efficient airframes as well as engines has resulted in the most visible aviation emissions reductions through history and will result in more reductions in future. The US government is in charge of a number of efforts together with the aviation industry to develop and improve technology that occasions reduced emissions and better fuel efficiency. The US is dedicated towards addressing impacts of climate change in commercial aviation and there are measures in place to ensure reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The United States government has already realized substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency improvement within the aviation sector using private and public efforts and this trajectory has progressed over the years. The US set out an ambitious plan targeting carbon-neutral growth for commercial aviation by the year 2020 while applying 2005 emissions being the baseline. This represents close to 115 million tons reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in the commercial aviation by the year 2020. There are strategies and initiatives that are being used to ensure there is reduction in greenhouse gas emission in aviation sector. There will be engine and aircraft technology improvement. Dedicated technology research and development are channeled towards improvement of fuel burn resulting in lower greenhouse gas emissions. These initiatives are coordinated within the National Aeronautics Research and Development plan. The Federal Aviation Administration is in the process of using the NextGen Program through overhauling National Airspace System for the purpose of improving efficiency as well as reduction of aircraft fuel burn (Dray & Evans, et al, 2009). NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Program is focused to pursue fundamental research in advanced rotary wing, supersonic and subsonic transport aircraft designs and other enabling technologies. The target is to reduce fuel burn by seventy percent through maturing emerging aircraft and engine designs planned for introduction into the fleet after 2030. There are incidences of successes and progress in the development of sustainable alternative fuels to be used in aviation. In the year 2011 the organization in charge of standard-setting ASTM International went ahead to approve a bio-derived alternative jet fuel called Hydroprocessed Essers and Fatty Acids for use of commercial sector for up to fifty percent blend level. The approval entails intense collaboration for all stakeholders over a period of 3 years with the FAA’s CLEEN program propping up key testing that facilitated the approval (Allyn, 2008). Towards the end of 2011 two United States commercial airlines, Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, flew their domestic flights using the Hydroprocessed Essers and Fatty Acids biofuels. In 2010 the USDA and FAA signed a five-year agreement that occasions a framework of cooperation to leverage expertise of the agencies in the development of alternative jet fuel production. These agencies pull their research experience, policy analysis as well as air transportation to evaluate the accessibility of different types of feed stocks that will be required by biorefineries for production of jet fuel that is renewable (United Kingdom, 2007). A concrete outcome has been the development of feedstock readiness tool of measurement to let the information aviation fuel users know about the availability together with the feasibility of the raw materials for development of alternative fuel production. Using the USG technology research and development efforts there are various efforts using multiple technology initiatives that target to develop technology that have significantly fuel burn and reduce substantially GHG emissions. These plans are under the coordination of the National Aeronautics Research and Development Plan. The USG is carrying out several analyses to determine reductions from operations, technology, and alternative fuels in order to achieve progress toward the carbon neutral progress target for the United States commercial aviation and point out any gap to be explored through standards, policies, as well as measures. Most of the aircraft technology is still under investigation to find out how best it can be used to mitigate emissions by aeroplanes. The passed FAA reauthorization grants authority to FAA for the creation of an incentive program in facilitating building of incentive program for facilitating the implementation of NextGen. The program is still in the early stages of development considering the recent passage of reauthorization. The potential for environmental improvement is crucial in the designing of the program. Moreover, through enhancing the NextGen implementation, the incentive program will result in overall reductions of emissions from aviation (International Civil Aviation Organization, 2008). Funded projects that have been previously be done include gate electrification, preconditioned air units, alternative fuel systems including solar facilities and geothermal systems and electric ground support equipment. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) member states are dedicated to development of global solutions to ensure a sustainable future in the international civil aviation. The organization is focusing towards reduction of its environment footprint. ICAO supports several industry-led projects and initiatives (Sanders et al, 2003). Independent expert panel organized by ICAO and aided by experts from the United States approximated technologies and adjustment in aircraft mission specifications like reduction in cruise speed can result in 20-30% improvement of fuel efficiency by the year 2020 and 25-30% by 2030 (Batchelor, 2008). More reduction has been projected beyond 2030. These technologies are being advanced by aviation industry together with NASA and FAA funded research. Completed turbine blade component tests by July 2011 demonstrated reduction in weight and hence increasing engine efficiency. Conclusion Greenhouse gas emissions has significant impact on climate change. Commercial aviation contributes to these emissions. Important strategies and initiatives have been developed to try and mitigate the impact of greenhouse gas emissions. The United States government facilitates research and development to come up with alternative source of aviation fuel that has lower emissions. Stakeholders in the aviation industry have to work together to combat any change of increase of greenhouse emissions and focus on reduction of carbon emissions. Technologies to improve efficiency through development of airframes that are efficient and use of alternative biofuel are some of the efforts that have realized positive outcome in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Climate change and global warming have a cause of concern to expert and the aviation community a role to play in reduction of emissions. The Kyoto Protocol requires countries to be in charge of domestic flights and deal with greenhouse emissions. Most of the technologies and strategies for improving aircraft efficiency are still under way. References Allyn, D. 2008, Technical Design Interrelationships. 2008 Aviation and the Environment: A Primer for North Dray, L. M., A. Evans, et al. 2009, Opportunities for Reducing Aviation-Related GHG Emissions: A Systems Analysis for Europe, Omega, University of Cambridge Institute for Aviation and the Environment, American Stakeholders, Boeing and ICCAIA Chairman. Lukachko, S.P., Waitz, I.A., Miake-Lye, R.C., Brown, R.C. 2008, Engine Design and Operational Impacts on Particulate Matter Precursor Emissions, J. Eng for Gas Turbines and Power 130 (2). International Civil Aviation Organization. 2008, International Civil Aviation Organization Aircraft Engine Emissions DataBank, Montreal, QC, Canada. Webb, S., Whitefield, P.D., Miake-Lye, R.C., 2008, Timco, M.T., Thrasher, T.G. ACRP Report 6: Research Needs Associated with Particulate Emissions at Airports, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, Washington, D.C. Sanders, P., Ning Xu, Dalka, T., & Maricq M. 2003, Airborne Brake Wear Debris: Size Distributions, Composition, and a Comparison of Dynamometer and Vehicle Tests, Environmental Science and Technology, Vol. 37, pp. 4060–4069. United Kingdom, 2007, Department for Transport, Project for the Sustainable Development of Heathrow—Air Quality Technical Report, East Sussex. Batchelor, D. 2008, Extending the EU Emissions Trading Scheme to Aviation. Air Transport Emissions Trading Scheme Workshop, UK Department for Transport, European Commission, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport. Read More