Embraer announced this Monday (8) the launch of the “Energia Family”, a line of concept aircraft with sustainable propulsion technologies.
The action is part of the manufacturer’s latest initiative, called Sustainability in Action, whose objective is to help the aeronautics industry to achieve the goal of zero net carbon emissions by 2050.
The Energy series comprises four conceptual commercial aircraft of varying sizes and each of them has a different engine technology, with low or zero carbon emissions. They are aircraft proposed with electric engines, hydrogen fuel cell, dual fuel gas turbine and hybrid-electric.
According to Embraer, each aircraft is being analyzed according to its technical and commercial feasibility. The manufacturer, however, has not yet set dates on the launch of the projects.
Instead, it disclosed the timeframes it expects to have the new technologies available, which could be between 2035 and 2040. The company believes there is potential demand for 4,000 aircraft with these new features over the next 20 years.
There is no single or easy solution to zero emission. New technologies and their supporting infrastructure will become available over time. We are now working to adjust the first airplane concepts, those that can start to reduce emissions as soon as possible”, Luis Carlos Affonso, senior vice president of Engineering, Technology and Corporate Strategy at Embraer.
According to him, small aircraft are ideal for testing and proving new propulsion technologies so that they can later be applied in larger aircraft. “That’s why our Energia Family is such an important platform,” he says.
Embraer’s announcement coincides with the COP26 climate meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, at a time when concerns about global warming and environmental degradation are reaching alarming levels.
Learn about the four concepts of Embraer’s sustainable aircraft below:
A small plane for nine passengers, the Energia Hybrid is proposed with a hybrid-electric engine.
As in hybrid cars, Embraer’s project suggests combining the power of electric motors with conventional propellers, in this case turboprops powered by SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel, mixtures of sugarcane and fuel derived from the camelina plant and fossil fuel) to reduce up to 90% CO2 emissions. The manufacturer says this technology should be available in mid-2030.
Another small model with a capacity for nine occupants, the Energia Electric is an airplane concept with an electric motor and counter-rotating propellers (which rotate in opposite directions).
It is therefore a zero CO2 emission aircraft. According to Embraer, engine technology for commercial aircraft should reach the maturity point in 2035.
Zero CO2 aircraft, the Energy H2 Fuel Cell Gas Turbine with 19 seats has a hydrogen electric propulsion engine.
That is, the aircraft will be equipped with its own power generator (powered by the chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen), which in turn will supply electricity to the propeller engines in the rear of the aircraft.
Embraer predicts that this technology will be available by 2035.
The largest model in the conceptual series, with a capacity between 35 and 50 passengers, the Energia Gas Turbine promises to reduce CO2 emissions by 100% using bi-fuel engines, powered by hydrogen or SAF.
The availability of this technology is suggested by the manufacturer for 2040.
Reference: CNN Brasil
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