Energy Efficiency, GHG Emissions  -  June 4, 2021

Boeing and Alaska Airlines Team Up to Test Efficiency Tech

Boeing and Alaska Airlines announced June 3 that they are partnering on testing nearly 20 new technologies that could improve the sustainability of air travel.

The Boeing ecoDemonstrator program will include testing a new halon-free fire-extinguishing agent that could reduce effects on the ozone layer. The pair will also work with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to measure greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere and increase the use of recycled carbon composite material from Boeing 777X wind production into a cabin sidewall panel. This would help reduce fuel use and carbon emissions from flights.

Once the technologies have been tested, the airplane will be given to Alaska for commercial use. 

The ecoDemonstrator program has tested nearly 200 such technologies for aviation use since it began in 2021.

“We have a long history of working with Boeing to advance aviation technology, safety and fuel efficiency,” Diana Birkett Rakow, Alaska Airlines' vice president of public affairs and sustainability, said in a statement. “Alaska Airlines flies to some of the most beautiful and geographically diverse regions in the world and we are committed to finding ways to reduce climate impacts across our network. This work with Boeing to accelerate innovation on the ecoDemonstrator program enables us to contribute to a more sustainable future for our global community.”

Current and future Boeing airplanes feature technology previously tested through this program, including winglets with technology to reduce fuel use, apps that provide real-time data to improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions and digital analytics tools that help optimize fleet utilization.

Earlier this year, Boeing committed to ensuring its commercial airplanes are capable of flying on 100% sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.

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