Airbus Trials Sustainable Oceanic Energy Source
In an effort to reduce its environmental footprint, Airbus has launched a test campaign to explore the use of renewable diesel fuel on one of its vessels. The 'Ciudad de Cadiz', which transports major components for the A320 family between production sites, will be the first Airbus vessel to use renewable fuel on the Saint-Nazaire-Tunis-Naples-Saint-Nazaire route.
The renewable fuel, produced by Neste in Rotterdam, is made from Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and does not contain any fossil fuels or additives. The test campaign, which is set to run for 18 months starting from the end of December 2022, will use around a third of the total fuel (approximately 330 tons) as renewable.
Airbus aims to save around 6,000 tons of CO on this route alone if the test campaign proves successful. This could pave the way for the widespread adoption of renewable fuel for Airbus's vessels in the future.
It's worth noting that Airbus has a history of pursuing sustainability initiatives. In 2019, the company introduced Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) for its Beluga operations. Moreover, in 2021, Airbus started using biogas trucks for transporting aircraft sections and major components across its European production sites.
The test campaign will allow Airbus and its partners to evaluate the performance of the renewable fuel and the vessel's engine. By confirming the reduction in CO emissions, this initiative could mark a significant step in Airbus's ongoing commitment to reducing its carbon emissions.
Sources:
- Renewable diesel fuel in transportation applications
- Airbus's sustainability initiatives for the A320 family
- Airbus's use of sustainable aviation fuel
- The science behind renewable diesel fuel, such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), could play a crucial role in the climate-change mitigation strategies of the industry, as demonstrated by Airbus's use of this fuel in its vessels.
- The environmental-science community closely watches the finance sector, as investments in renewable-energy projects, like Airbus's adoption of renewable diesel fuel, can have a substantial impact on the health of our environment.
- As Airbus ventures into renewable fuel sources for its vessels, the performance of its engines could shape the future of the environmental-science field, potentially leading to the widespread use of such fuel in the industry.
