MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd June, 2021) Considering the size of Russia, the zero-emission commercial aircraft dubbed ZEROe, which Airbus hopes to present in the upcoming decade, can be a good option for travelIng across the country, Vice President of ZERO Emission aircraft at Airbus, Glenn Llewellyn, told Sputnik.
The European plane manufacturer has recently announced the creation of zero-emission development centers across Europe to focus on metallic hydrogen tanks. The company has embarked on its ambitious project to develop the world's first zero-emission commercial aircraft by 2035 and is now developing three concepts of the plane within the program, all of which are hybrid-hydrogen.
"At this stage, we're focusing on short- and medium-haul travel. The ranges we are studying will enable intra-continental travel. So given Russia's vast size, a future ZEROe aircraft could be a good option to link travellers across the country," Llewellyn said when asked about the possibility of introducing the zero-emission concept aircraft in Russia.
When asked about the progress of the three concepts of the ZEROe plane, Llewellyn said that there is no front runner at the moment.
"All of the studies are progressing well and we are not in a position to communicate on which concept is the most promising. We are currently exploring our options and expect to make the final decision during the 2024-2025 timeframe. We expect to launch the programme by 2026-2028, ready for entry-into-service by 2035," he explained.
Airbus recognizes its role in contributing to the reduction of aviation's global environmental footprint and the importance of the Paris Agreement, he said.
"Since 1990 (Paris Agreement Reference Year), we have already managed to reduce emissions per passenger per kilometre by 50%. Now the focus is on achieving carbon-neutrality by 2050-2060," he said, adding that this goal can only be reached through joint efforts of the aviation sector, as well as collaboration with industry.
The Paris Agreement, signed by more than 190 nations in December 2015 and effective since November 2016, has set the objective to keep the rise in global temperature to less than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels and reach net zero emissions by 2050. The signatories must determine and report regularly their efforts to mitigate global warming. The deal, however, has no compliance mechanism.
