The UK’s Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) this week threw down a new gauntlet to challenge the aerospace industry to seize what it characterized as a massive commercial opportunity to make progress toward aviation’s commitment to achieving net-zero emissions. The government-backed group’s 2022 technology strategy, published on April 26 under the title Destination Zero, exhorts companies to seize the moment, be more ambitious, and accept greater risk in their technology portfolios.
For the planet, says ATI, the prize is that adopting its multi-tier approach to green aviation could see global carbon emissions from flying reduced by nearly 2 gigatons by 2050. In the process, UK companies stand to grow their share of the market for net-zero aerospace technology to nearly 18 percent, with ATI estimating that demand for new energy-efficient commercial aircraft could be worth £4.3 trillion ($5.6 trillion).
