Pratt & Whitney Supports Commercial Aviation Industry Commitment to Achieve 2050 Net Zero Carbon Goal
EAST HARTFORD, Conn., October 5, 2021 – Pratt & Whitney today joined an industry-wide commitment to achieve net zero air transport carbon emissions by 2050, in support of the Paris Agreement 1.5ºC goal.
In a declaration released today by the Air Transport Action Group (ATAG), of which Pratt & Whitney is a founding member, representatives of the world’s major aviation industry associations, aircraft and engine makers committed that, “global civil aviation operations will achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, supported by accelerated efficiency measures, energy transition and innovation across the aviation sector and in partnership with Governments around the world.”
“With the growing urgency of addressing climate change, and the need to ensure sustainable growth in global air connectivity, the ambition to ‘fly net zero’ is an essential and defining challenge for our industry,” said Chris Calio, President of Pratt & Whitney. “As the leading developer of state-of-the-art aircraft propulsion systems, we are continually advancing the efficiency of engines across our portfolio, including the development of hybrid-electric and hydrogen-powered technologies, while also supporting the wider use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). All these elements will be critical for the aviation industry to meet its emissions reduction goals, for the benefit of our communities, the environment, and our customers.”
Pratt & Whitney is already shaping the future of sustainable aviation. With more than $10 billion invested in a new clean-sheet engine design over two decades, the Pratt & Whitney GTF™ engine family delivers up to 20% better fuel consumption, 50% lower NOx emissions and a 75% smaller noise footprint compared to prior-generation engines. Since entering service in 2016, GTF engines have already saved airlines more than 0.5 billion gallons of fuel and more than 5 million metric tons of CO2. With more than 1,000 GTF-powered aircraft already delivered, and over 10,000 engine orders and commitments to date, Pratt & Whitney’s GTF is a key enabler for airlines to grow passenger numbers and route networks as sustainably as possible.
Pratt & Whitney is also developing advanced, hybrid-electric propulsion technologies, to further improve the efficiency of next generation aircraft. Earlier this year, Pratt & Whitney progressed plans to integrate hybrid-electric technology into a Dash 8-100 flight demonstrator, supported by investment from the governments of Canada and Quebec. The regional aircraft-scale demonstrator, developed in partnership with Collins Aerospace and De Havilland Canada, is targeting a 30% improvement in fuel efficiency compared to today’s most advanced turboprops.
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Pratt & Whitney is a world leader in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft and helicopter engines, and auxiliary power units. To learn more, visit www.prattwhitney.com. To receive press releases and other news directly, please sign up here.