Airline EasyJet will invest billions in, among other things, hydrogen technology and more efficient aircraft to reduce CO2 emissions. The budget airline reports this on Monday with the publication of its plan to fly emission-free in 2050.
According to easyJet’s plans, hydrogen could reduce the fleet’s CO2 emissions by nearly 80 percent by 2050. After that, however, the remaining CO2 must be captured to realize emission-free flights.
To this end, the airline works with aircraft manufacturer Airbus and aircraft engine developer Rolls-Royce. The capture technology is still under development, but the plan is to capture CO2 from the atmosphere and store it underground.
The investment in new aircraft amounts to 21 billion dollars spread over several years. With this, EasyJet wants to purchase 168 Airbus NEO aircraft, of which the current fleet already numbers 59. According to the airline, these aircraft are not only 15 percent more efficient, but they also cause less noise pollution.
In time, the aircraft must be equipped with the latest software. This should help to reduce fuel consumption, including during take-off and descent.