By Chaitali Bag
Aiming to achieve its net-zero emissions objective by 2050, the aviation industry is making sustainability a catchphrase. To achieve this target over the next twenty-plus years, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) predicts that approximately USD 5.3 trillion will be needed, along with a mix of strategies such as using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), implementing new technologies, improving infrastructure, maximizing operational efficiencies, carbon capture, and offsetting emissions.
The Singapore Airshow 2024 will prioritize these and other related actions. Experts from McKinsey & Company will moderate the event’s AeroForum series, which is known for thought leadership, while a number of startups will showcase their ideas in this area at What’s Next@Airshow, an initiative in collaboration with accelerator Starburst.
According to IATA’s projections, SAF will provide almost 65% of the mitigation required to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by the year 2050. After reaching 100 million litres in 2021, worldwide SAF output has increased by 200% in 2022, reaching 300 million litres. Governments should increase production incentives to increase the supply of SAF, according to IATA.
A panel including senior executives from the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Airbus, Cathay Pacific Airways, EcoCeres Inc, and FlyORO will be featured at the AeroForum discussion “Sustainable Aviation – Navigating Complexities and Crafting Winning Strategies,” which is being organized by McKinsey & Company. The purpose of the discussion is to advance the conversation on SAF.
Cost, production, scalability, technology, feedstock availability, and consumer behaviour are some of the obstacles preventing larger SAF production, and the panelists will discuss these issues and more in order to determine the most important variables for attaining sustainable aviation using SAF. We will also discuss the financial ramifications of adopting SAF, as well as government subsidies, incentives, and sourcing methods, as well as the necessity of industry-wide cooperation in solving these issues.
“We are cognizant that meeting the target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 will require partnership and a concerted effort, involving the aviation industry as well as new players in technology and innovation,” said Mr. Leck Chet Lam, Managing Director of Experia and organizer of the Singapore Airshow 2024. To achieve the industry’s shared objectives in innovation and sustainability, Singapore Airshow—a top worldwide venue for industry conversations and strategic partnerships—will serve as an essential platform.
One constant at the Airshow is cutting-edge technological demonstrations. The Singapore Airshow 2024 will include cutting-edge innovations from both well-established aviation companies and exciting newcomers.
According to CAE’s 2023 Aviation Talent Forecast research, the aviation sector is projected to need to recruit 1.3 million professionals by 2032 in order to meet the demand from both the commercial and private travel segments, which are expected to experience significant growth.
Over the next decade, as the number of aircraft in operation increases, the civil aviation sector will require a total of 599,000 cabin crew members, 402,000 technicians, and 284,000 pilots.
The Airshow has partnered with schools to highlight the industry’s top performers for students, who will one day fill the sector’s open positions, helping to alleviate the urgent need to build a long-term talent pool. With the help of Rolls Royce’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) workshops and the Student Ambassador Programmes put together by Bell, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Hope Technik, Lufthansa Technik, the Republic of Singapore Air Force, and Rolls Royce, around three thousand students are anticipated to attend this year’s Airshow.
Opportunities for young aviation talents to apply their imagination, creativity, and intellect are presented by the Endeavour Space Challenge, which is organized in collaboration with Science Centre Singapore and US-based Kallman Worldwide, and the Innovation Hangar Challenge, which is run in collaboration with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). These events allow the participants to draw on the knowledge and experience of senior aviation and aerospace engineers.
In addition to being heavily considered throughout the show’s content preparation, sustainability will play a crucial role in the organization and execution of the Airshow. Introducing a new partnership between organizers and CarbonClick, where attendees can buy carbon credits to offset their travel emissions. These credits will then be used to support certified climate projects like the Rimba Raya biodiversity reserve in Indonesia and the wind power project in India, among others.
Furthermore, the Airshow will be held at the Changi Exhibition Centre, which will be powered by solar energy. The facility has 15,000 solar roof panels and a Sustainable Networking Zone that uses recycled waste materials for all of its booths, furniture, and fittings. The IONIQ 5 electric vehicles, which Hyundai has never used before, will be used to transport the VIP delegates of the Singapore Airshow.
