Aerospace manufacturers have a critical role to play in helping airlines achieve their goal of climate-neutral flying. Increasingly, their efforts toward net zero carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2050 extend beyond developing low-carbon aircraft, ultra-efficient engines, and hybrid-electric technology to include making their own production processes greener.
In June, for example, Safran Aircraft Engines inaugurated a new CFM International Leap engine repair shop at Brussels Airport in Belgium that it said generates net-zero carbon and energy-positive operations. The maintenance facility features a sustainable, carbon-neutral design created with 100 percent renewable energy, including solar panels on the roof and circular heating systems.
“This new site is a vital link in our global maintenance, repair, and overhaul network, helping to support the growing fleet of Leap engines around the world while reducing our environmental footprint,” commented Safran Aircraft Engines CEO Jean-Paul Alary.
Back in 2018, Safran instituted a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated by its production processes across all sites. The aircraft equipment manufacturer has committed to reducing scope 1 (direct) and scope 2 (indirect) CO2 emissions by 30 percent by 2025 and 50 percent by 2030.
Initiatives include lowering energy consumption, increasing renewable energy use at industrial and office sites, developing an internal carbon price to assign a monetary value to harmful emissions, and using sustainable fuels for engine testing. Safran also encourages and assists its main suppliers to commit to a decarbonization pathway in line with the Paris Agreement.
Fellow French aerospace group Thales says it has fully embedded sustainability in its corporate strategy. The company plans on rolling out a new sustainability strategy for 2024 -2030 during which it is looking to build on “stand-out performance” in the prior five-year period and a “record-setting” 2023 in terms of carbon footprint:
Production of scope 1 and 2 CO2 emissions decreased 59.9 percent from the 2018 baseline. Renewables now account for 90 percent of its energy mix, and 127 Thales sites have contracts in place for the supply of electricity from renewable sources.
As part of its green manufacturing drive, Thales applies eco-design principles to its new products and for each stage of the engineering process. It meets green manufacturing standards throughout its production supply chain. By the end of last year, the group instituted 183 action plans with suppliers on methods to reduce their emissions.
Like Safran and Thales, regional airliner maker ATR also claims a commitment to strengthening responsible supply chain management. The joint venture between Airbus and Leonardo collaborates with over 150 direct and 800 indirect suppliers on environmental and social responsibility in its procurement and overall strategy.
Suppliers Expected to Step Up Decarbonization
ATR corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environment manager Mathilde Raymond told AIN. “Stringent requirements towards our suppliers are listed in a code of conduct," ATR corporate social responsibility and environment manager Mathilde Raymond told AIN. "Since October 2023, we also assess the maturity of our suppliers’ commitments towards sustainability via a third-party agency (EcoVadis).”
The airframer has set ambitious goals to limit its environmental footprint, Raymond said. They include decreasing gas and electricity consumption and increasing renewable energy sources. Today, renewable energy fully powers its headquarters and flight test sites and the company has set a target to cut waste production by 20 percent by 2025. It also expects to achieve a 55 percent recovery rate for non-hazardous materials compared with 2018 levels.
Toulouse-based ATR’s commitment to addressing climate change extends to the development of a circular economy model, Raymond added. Through a partnership with Tarmac Aerosave, ATR started recycling its aircraft: It dismantled three aircraft in 2023 and salvaged 85.5 percent of parts for reuse or recycling.
Embraer established a dedicated management team named DIPAS (Integrated Development of Environmentally Sustainable Products) to ensure product sustainability for customers in different countries and occupational and environmental integrity throughout the aircraft’s operation, maintenance, and end-of-life. The Brazilian airframer told AIN it aims for a 50 percent reduction in net carbon emissions by 2040 from a 2018 baseline and 100 percent energy from renewable sources by 2030. To that end, it signed an electricity purchase agreement in 2022 that ensures 100 percent of the electricity acquired by the company in Brazil will come from renewable sources this year, bringing forward its public commitment set initially for 2025.