Airbus Summit 2025 – Update on progress toward sustainable aviation
By Eric Brothers
At the third edition of the Airbus Summit held in Toulouse, France in March, experts, creators, and innovators from around the world gathered in person and online to learn the latest news of the plane maker’s efforts toward sustainable aerospace.
Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury said, “We thought it was a good time to take stock of all we have done, to gather our stakeholders and reflect on the new challenges. It’s a way to look forward, to gather people and get questions, and get challenged as well on what we’re doing to make sure we keep doing the right things and give some energy so we can be at the right pace.”
Faury explained, “Decarbonization is part of our purpose, and our purpose is to pioneer sustainable aerospace for a safe and united world.”
SAF roadmap
The first day of the summit focused on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and its potential for reducing carbon emissions across existing aircraft fleets. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) estimates SAF could reduce about 65% of the emissions required to reach the association’s – and Airbus’ – goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. SAF made from renewable sources is one approach to decarbonization, yet only one-third of 1% of total jet fuel consumption last year was SAF. Airbus is partnering with SAF producers to help generate the fueling ecosystem future aircraft will require. One big obstacle preventing SAF’s wider adoption is its price of 3x to 4x as much as conventional jet fuel.
Julie Kitcher, chief sustainability officer and communications, Airbus, described steps Airbus is taking to increase airlines’ SAF adoption with a book-and-claim initiative to increase global supply and demand for SAF. Book-and-claim allows a buyer to book (reserve) an amount of SAF and claim corresponding emission reductions even if the fuel is used elsewhere.
Private capital and aviation investors are joining the initiative to improve SAF accessibility for customers with limited budgets and needs far from SAF supply.
Kitcher noted, “International climate diplomacy is being challenged, but science doesn’t change, climate risk is a humanitarian and financial risk, so we remain committed to a net-zero emissions goal by 2050.”
In a keynote address, aviation pioneer Dr. Bertrand Piccard, who circumnavigated the world non-stop in the Breitling Orbiter balloon and accomplished the same feat in the solar-cell-powered Solar Impulse 2 airplane, noted the need for disruption to make progress. He cited the mayor of Dayton, Ohio, speaking in 1903 about the Wright Brothers, “I hope those two young people will find a serious job and stop wasting time with these useless toys.” Fortunately for us, they didn’t.
Piccard is building Climate Impulse, the world’s first green hydrogen-powered airplane designed for a non-stop, nine-day, zero-emission circumvention of the globe in 2028 to redefine the future of sustainable aviation.
Not your grandfather’s open rotor
Day 1 also featured exhibitions reminiscent of a science fair or poster sessions, with tables of hands-on items and Airbus experts available to explain what they’ve been doing to design more fuel efficient aircraft, from folding high-aspect ratio wing designs to fuel cells to blended wing fuselage shapes and metal additive manufacturing (AM).
At one exhibit, Airbus’ Head of Propulsion of Tomorrow Jean-Baptiste Manchette described technology promising to cut fuel consumption up to 30%: the open-rotor engine. Airbus, with CFM Int’l, plans to test an open fan jet on an A380 airframe as part of the Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engines (RISE) program that could enter service by the mid-2030s. Modern wind tunnel testing and simulation offer more calculation ability than existed during open-rotor (unducted fan) engine tests of the 1980s. Instead of two counter-rotating sets of blades, having only the front blades spinning and the aft blades stationary with less pitch (as stators/guide vanes) reduces the loudness common to earlier designs. Also, keeping the blade tips below supersonic speeds is essential for abating noise. Carbon-fiber composite blades are thinner and more efficient than they were 40 years ago. Plus, passive and active cabin noise management is possible now.
Outside the aircraft delivery center venue, Airbus showcased the extra-long range A321XLR jetliner, an electric SAF fuel truck, the RACER rotorcraft offering speed with lower fuel consumption, and EcoPulse, the Daher-Safran-Airbus collaboration for distributed electric propulsion using a modified Daher TBM 900 turboprop.
The evening was punctuated by several question-and-answer sessions with Airbus executives who shared candid opinions about geopolitics and supply chain issues.
To cap off Day 1, a rainbow appeared on the cloud-darkened horizon behind the A321XLR serving as backdrop to the summit. The symbolism of a rainbow appearing after a storm, representing hope, signifying beauty and new beginnings, echoed the goals expressed throughout the day.
Day 2
The second day of the summit shifted to the Airbus training and education center, where more detailed presentations examined broader aspects of sustainability, including identifying, investigating, and mitigating non-CO2 emissions. These include jet contrails, water vapor, and nitrous oxides and controlling them to limit impact on atmospheric warming.
Other solutions to encourage SAF use were discussed by various stakeholders. The challenge is SAF is more expensive than fossil-based fuels, reducing demand, so not much is produced, keeping it expensive. To break the ‘green premium’ will require the right business case for airlines to adopt SAF use.
Aircraft of tomorrow
Airbus is preparing the next generation of airplanes, with a special focus on single-aisle airplanes for short- and medium-range connections. It’s targeting 25% less fuel consumption, along with emitting 25% less CO2, using hydrogen propulsion developed through its ZEROe project. Hydrogen doesn’t put any carbon into the air. The big news was Airbus is turning its efforts away from burning hydrogen as fuel in jet engines but instead using hydrogen to power fuel cells, creating electricity to drive electric motors turning high-efficiency propellers.
Faury said of the decision to turn away from hydrogen combustion, “It’s not competitive, not yet commercially viable. We don’t have the hydrogen ecosystem at scale, but we still believe in hydrogen.”
One example of the commitment: the Airbus Hydrogen Hubs at Airports program to promote the expansion of the global ecosystem to support hydrogen-powered flight. It brings together airlines, airports, industry players, energy providers, and technology specialists to address questions around producing, storing, and distributing hydrogen. The program currently counts more than 220 airports as partners, energy providers, and airlines. In support, Airbus built a hydrogen storage and distribution system test facility in Grenoble, France.
Glenn Llewellyn, VP of the Airbus ZEROe project, explained, “Our ZEROe aircraft will feature an electric propeller propulsion system powered by hydrogen fuel cells that transform hydrogen into electricity through a chemical reaction. The only byproduct of this reaction will be water, making the process almost carbon neutral if the hydrogen is made using renewable energy.” Airbus completed a successful testing campaign with a fuel cell reaching a power output of 1.2MW.
A speculative regional ZEROe airliner revealed during the summit shows a four-motor, high-wing, T-tail, 100-to-200-passenger aircraft with a projected range of 1,000nm. Llewellyn says the goal is increasing the power density of each fuel cell to 2MW, reducing six motors to four – which is more efficient and lowers cost. The advantage of hydrogen fuel cells is the technology is already well established for automobile applications.
More dramatic is the Airbus UpNext program for cryogenic electric propulsion. Gaseous helium at -230°C would be piped into the propulsion unit to cool the electronics and motor coils to superconducting state, improving energy efficiency and performance.
“This could be a game-changer for fully electric aircraft,” Llewellyn says.
But none of the technology is commercial-off-the-shelf, so Airbus, along with partners, is developing a supply chain for these electrical components.
Electric hybrid aircraft will still need SAF. High-efficiency wings are needed, and the technology readiness level (TRL) needs to improve.
“Step by step, we’re mastering the technology,” Llewellyn says. He and others at Airbus involved in future flight are confident the technologies discussed at the summit have the potential to have close to zero climate impact.
Airbus Summit 2025
https://www.airbus.com/ en/airbus-summit-2025
