Commercial, GHG Emissions, Sourcing Renewables - March 25, 2025
Airbus Collaborates for Emissions Study
Airbus and a consortium of 10 partners from four European countries launched PACIFIC, a project to study the impact of aviation's non-CO2 emissions on Local Air Quality and Climate with a focus on contrails.
Studies have recently suggested that the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) could lower both soot particles and contrail ice crystals. Having more information on fuel composition and its processing in the engine is necessary to better understand the effects and benefits of SAF.
Particle Emissions, Air Quality and Climate Impact Related to Fuel Composition and Engine Cycle (PACIFIC) seeks to bridge the gap in understanding aviation’s non-CO2 emissions by testing an unprecedented range of fuels under controlled conditions. The project will ensure consistency in combustion parameters and hardware similarity from lab-scale experiments at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to full aircraft engine tests at Airbus Toulouse.
The research will focus on understanding how soot forms during fuel combustion, using improved prediction tools to better anticipate its presence in engine emissions. It will also analyze the quantity of fine particles released at different engine power levels, refining methods to estimate their impact from ground tests to real flight conditions. Another key aspect is assessing how these particles contribute to ice crystal formation, a major factor in contrail development by using advanced measurement techniques.
The project will also evaluate the broader climate effects of these emissions by examining how different fuel compositions and engine settings influence contrail formation and properties, as well as their impact on global warming.
By consolidating these insights, PACIFIC will contribute to a robust cost-benefit assessment of various fuel options, providing crucial inputs for potential future fuel-related regulations. The project will ultimately help define new fuel specifications aimed at reducing aviation’s climate and air quality impact while reinforcing Europe’s leadership in sustainable aeronautics.
"Addressing aviation's non-CO2 emissions is critical in our journey toward truly sustainable flight,” said Airbus Chief Technology Officer Sabine Klauke in a statement. “Through collaborative science-based approaches and innovative technologies, we're committed to minimising these effects while maintaining operational efficiency. The PACIFIC project will quantify and measure the non-CO2 emissions emitted from various SAF compositions. Using an innovative ground experiment process, we will be able to replicate conditions without delay and repeat them if needed. We look forward to the results of this multi-year project."
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