November 5, 2021 - No. 85 In This Issue : Making aircraft fuel from sunlight and air : British firm to unveil technology for zero-carbon emission flights at Cop26 : Wright Electric Launches the Wright Spirit – The World’s First Zero-Emissions Airliner for the Regional Jet Market : Virgin and partners to ACT on SAF expansion : Verizon, AT&T hit pause on 5G launch : What Is An Enhanced Flight Vision System? : FAA begins first-ever drone tests to protect airports : Hemp Biofuel: A Viable Option for Airlines? : Clean energy technologies need a major boost to keep net zero by 2050 within reach : Wally Funk, Oklahoma astronaut and space pioneer, to address Women in Aviation and Aerospace Luncheon this Friday, Nov. 5. : SpaceX's next astronaut launch for NASA delayed again by bad weather (and a possible Dragon landing) Making aircraft fuel from sunlight and air Scientists at ETH Zurich have built a plant that can produce carbon-neutral liquid fuels from sunlight and air. The next goal will be to take this technology to industrial scale and achieve competitiveness. In a paper published in the journal Nature, researchers from Zurich and Potsdam describe how this novel solar reactor functions and outline a policy framework that would provide incentives to expand the production of "solar kerosene." Carbon-neutral fuels are crucial for making aviation and maritime transport sustainable. The plant developed in Zurich can be used to produce synthetic liquid fuels that release as much CO2 during their combustion as was previously extracted from the air for their production. CO2 and water are extracted directly from ambient air and split using solar energy. This process yields syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, which is then processed into kerosene, methanol, or other hydrocarbons. A team of researchers led by Aldo Steinfeld, Professor of Renewable Energy Sources at ETH Zurich, have been operating the mini solar refinery on the roof of ETH's Machine Laboratory building in Zurich over the last two years. "This plant successfully demonstrates the technical feasibility of the entire thermochemical process for converting sunlight and ambient air into drop-in fuels. The system operates stably under real-world solar conditions and provides a unique platform for further research and development," says Steinfeld. The technology is now sufficiently mature for use in industrial applications. Desert offers ideal conditions Analyses of the entire process show that the fuel would cost 1.20 to 2 euros per litre if it were produced on an industrial scale. Desert regions with high solar resources are particularly suitable as production sites. "Unlike with biofuels, whose potential is limited due to the scarcity of agricultural land, this technology enables us to meet global demand for jet fuel by using less than one percent of the world's arid land and would not compete with the production of food or livestock feed," explains Johan Lilliestam, a research group leader at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS Potsdam) and professor of energy policy at the University of Potsdam. If the materials used to build the production facilities, such as glass and steel, are manufactured using renewable energy and carbon-neutral methods, emissions can be further reduced to close to zero. Supportive policies needed However, given the high initial investment costs, solar fuels will need political support to secure their market entry. "The European Union's existing support instruments -- emissions trading and offsetting -- are not sufficient to stimulate market demand for solar fuels. In view of this, we propose the adoption of a European technology-specific quota system for aviation fuel. This would require airlines to acquire a specific share of their fuel from solar sources," explains Lilliestam. The study's authors recommend a share of 0.1 percent in the earliest phase of market adoption, when the price of "solar kerosene" will be high and production capacities low. This would have little impact on the cost of flying, but would promote the construction of production facilities and set in motion a learning curve that could lead to technological enhancements and lower prices. The quota could then be gradually increased until solar kerosene achieves a market breakthrough without further support measures. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/11/211104115245.htm British firm to unveil technology for zero-carbon emission flights at Cop26 A British company being launched at the Cop26 summit on Friday will unveil technology it claims could enable zero-carbon emission flights running on liquid ammonia by 2030. It aims to build lightweight reactors to “crack” the chemical to produce hydrogen to burn as fuel, a design it says could allow existing planes to be modified to store liquid ammonia rather than paraffin. Hydrogen is currently seen as the only possible “clean” fuel for future long-haul aviation, but the difficulty of safely storing it in fuel tanks, either as a gas or highly cooled liquid, means aerospace manufacturers have argued that vastly different planes would be needed. Small reactors could be retrofitted into passenger planes to allow the hydrogen to be obtained from ammonia, according to Oxford University scientists on the UK’s state-funded Science and Technology Facilities Council, who have demonstrated that a mix of cracked ammonia can burn with similar properties as the paraffin normally used as jet fuel. The new joint venture, as yet unnamed, will combine their findings with rocket engine technology from Reaction Engines, with seed funding from cleantech investor IP Group. They believe the first sector likely to adopt their technology is shipping. Ammonia has already been seen as a cleaner fuel for the maritime sector, and could be a readily available fuel, as a product that is currently widely transported and stored globally. However, most of the world’s ammonia is produced from fossil fuels in an energy-intensive process that is responsible for 1-2% of global carbon emissions. To be truly carbon-neutral, the new aircraft would have to run on “green ammonia”, produced from water and air using renewable energy. Cracking the ammonia using the reactors on the plane produces hydrogen and nitrogen, and the emissions are water and nitrous oxides (NOx). NOx is an indirect greenhouse gas and can lead to the formation of health-damaging air pollutants such as particulate matter. The cost of ammonia, or hydrogen, would far outstrip paraffin as a jet fuel, but the firms hope carbon taxes and legislation will alter the future economics. Aviation and shipping currently account for 5% of worldwide CO2 emissions and their impact is expected to grow without significant technological or behavioural change. The British government last year set up a jet zero council with the aim of decarbonising flight, with Boris Johnson suggesting that the UK could build an actual zero-emission transatlantic plane by 2050. The industry has signed up to a net zero pledge for 2050, which relies heavily on offsetting and sustainable fuels. Cracking ammonia onboard, if proved feasible, could give zero-carbon flight 20 years earlier, the new joint venture suggests, although large challenges would remain to decarbonise production of ammonia, reduce NOx, and tackle the effects of aircraft contrails that contribute to global warming. Bill David, STFC senior fellow and professor of energy materials chemistry at Oxford, said: “I am excited about the impact that our technology can have in enabling low-impact transitions in hard-to-abate energy sectors. “Playing to the complementary strengths of ammonia and hydrogen, our cracker technology can rely on the global ammonia infrastructure to provide, at scale, blended ammonia-hydrogen fuels that mimic fossil fuel performance and offer affordable retrofitted energy solutions.” David said that they were “on a journey” to show NOx emissions could be reduced with the right mix and temperatures. Ammonia itself is a large part of the AdBlue used to reduce NOx emissions from diesel combustion engines. Robert Trezona, head of Cleantech, IP Group, said the combination of technologies was “a profound breakthrough” with “myriad applications”. He added: “This is a credible, amazing combination of science and engineering … it’s a possible thing.” The firm will aim to raise tens of millions in funding from other investors next year to build larger scale demonstrations - initially very much on the ground, Trezona said: “This works – but we know we need to show hardware to get investment.” https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/nov/05/british-firm-to-unveil-technology-for-zero-carbon-emission-flights-at-cop26 Wright Electric Launches the Wright Spirit – The World’s First Zero-Emissions Airliner for the Regional Jet Market ALBANY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov 4, 2021-- Wright Electric, Inc., a leader in net-zero propulsion and aircraft design, announced the launch of a new addition to their family of zero-emissions aircraft for the commercial market. The announcement is being made today in conjunction with COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland. The Wright Spirit will incorporate Wright’s megawatt-class electric propulsion system and serve the 100-passenger market for one-hour flights. The Wright Spirit aircraft design builds on the BAe 146 platform - a 100 passenger, 4-engine aircraft known for its operation out of noise-sensitive airports. “Aviation has committed to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, but Wright is committed to a 100% reduction in all emissions starting in 2026,” said Jeff Engler, CEO of Wright. “Because we built the world's largest aerospace propulsive powertrain, we can build the world's largest zero-emissions retrofit directly serving the world's busiest routes." The path was set in early 2020 with Wright’s announcement and development of their megawatt propulsion system for an all-electric commercial aircraft. Throughout the last two years, the company has been proving key components of the system including a high-efficiency, high-power density inverter and a 2 MW (2,700 HP) motor. The existing hydrocarbon-based propulsion system will be replaced with Wright’s all-electric, emissions-free propulsion system. By focusing on one-hour flights, the Wright Spirit addresses the world’s busiest city pairs, such as Seoul-Jeju (world’s busiest route, 14 million passengers annually), London-Paris, Rio de Janeiro-São Paulo, and San Francisco-Los Angeles. “We can make a significant impact on global emissions by targeting this high-demand segment of the market,” says Jeff. Juan Carlos Zuazua, CEO from Viva Aerobus said, "Viva Aerobus is excited to support the development of the Wright Spirit as a member of the advisory board. As the Greenest Airline in Mexico, we are focused on aviation's commitment to greenhouse gas reductions. We look forward to collaborating with Wright to analyze the integration of a zero-emissions 100-passenger aircraft into airline operations." David Morgan, Director of Flight Operations at easyJet added, “We believe zero emissions aircraft are key to addressing aviation’s environmental impact and so we fully support Wright Electric in their ambition to bring a zero-emissions aircraft to market. Wright have come a long way since we first started working with them in 2017 and we welcome this announcement as another important step on their journey.” To develop the integrated propulsion system, Wright has assembled an innovative team of companies with expertise in generation, energy storage and propulsion design. The program now proceeds with on-going ground testing and final selection of the propulsion system. In 2023, the aircraft will begin flight testing with one all-electric propulsor. The development program will then accelerate towards flight testing with two all-electric propulsors by 2024 leading to the full-electric aircraft by 2026. About Wright Electric Wright Electric, Inc. (Wright) is a U.S.-based company developing the world’s first family of zero-emissions commercial aircraft. The company was founded in 2016 by a team of aerospace engineers, powertrain experts, and battery chemists. By focusing its resources on the technological and component challenges to electrification, Wright Electric is establishing the path towards a carbon-free aviation footprint. Wright's flagship airplane under development is the Wright 1, a 186-seat airliner with an 800-mile range, targeting entry into service in 2030. Wright works with airlines such as easyJet and VivaAerobus, and has development contracts with NASA and the U.S. Department of Energy’s ARPA-E. Wright has been funded through Y Combinator, the Clean Energy Trust, venture funds, and family offices. About Viva Aerobus Viva Aerobus is Mexico's ultra-low-cost airline. It started operations in 2006 and today it operates the youngest fleet in Mexico and the 2nd youngest fleet in all North America with 50 Airbus: 40 Airbus A320 and 10 Airbus A321. With a clear vision to give all people the opportunity to fly, Viva Aerobus democratized the airline industry with the lowest fares in Mexico and the lowest costs in Latin America. About easyJet easyJet is Europe’s leading airline offering a unique and winning combination of the best route network connecting Europe's primary airports, with great value fares and friendly service. easyJet flies on more of Europe’s most popular routes than any other airline and carried more than 96 million passengers in 2019 – more than 16 million travelling for business. The airline has over 300 aircraft on nearly 1000 routes to more than 150 airports across 35 countries. Over 300 million Europeans live within one hour's drive of an easyJet airport. https://www.valdostadailytimes.com/news/business/wright-electric-launches-the-wright-spirit-the-world-s-first-zero-emissions-airliner-for-the/article_dc715248-aa45-56c4-87c4-0a4370cc5a69.html Virgin and partners to ACT on SAF expansion Virgin Atlantic has joined leading airline players including Air France KLM, Delta and the Boston Consulting Group in forming the Aviation Climate Taskforce (ACT). This new non-profit organisation aims to accelerate breakthroughs in emerging technologies to decarbonise aviation. As the aviation sector focuses on decarbonisation, new solutions will be required to reach net zero by 2050 and to scale up sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) to meet a 10% SAF target by 2030. ACT will stimulate innovation in the next generation of technologies, principally focussed on critical medium-term solutions, such as synthetic fuel and direct air capture. Over time, the portfolio will expand to include more near-term solutions, such as emerging bio-based sustainable aviation fuel pathways, and long-term solutions, such as hydrogen technologies. ACT’s mission will be supported by an innovation network and a collaboration forum to help accelerate innovation and expedite adoption. Shai Weiss, CEO at Virgin Atlantic, said: “We are proud to be founding members of the Aviation Climate Taskforce. “Working with industry partners to accelerate technological innovation and reduce carbon emissions over the next 30 years. We strongly echo the need for a portfolio approach and continued collaboration across the energy and aviation value chains. Through its focus on breakthrough technologies, the Aviation Climate Taskforce, will support near and medium-term innovations in emerging SAF pathways, as well as longer term breakthroughs such as electric and hydrogen flight.” Earlier this month, Virgin Atlantic announced new carbon targets as part of a renewed mission to achieve net zero by 2050. The targets include increased fleet efficiency and committing to the use of 10% SAF in 2030. https://biofuels-news.com/news/virgin-and-partners-to-act-on-saf-expansion/ Verizon, AT&T hit pause on 5G launch AT&T and Verizon will delay the launch of 5G on key frequencies amid concern that it might interfere with airplane safety systems, federal officials said Thursday. The companies will "further assess any impact on aviation safety technologies," the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Aviation Administration said in a joint statement. Both companies confirmed they will delay their rollouts for about a month, to Jan. 5. "Aviation safety and technology leadership are national priorities, and with today's announcement these companies have demonstrated their commitment to both," the agencies said in the statement. The announcement comes after the FAA issued a bulletin to aircraft manufacturers and pilots Tuesday, warning them that action might be needed to address potential interference from the 5G expansion. Aviation groups have been warning regulators for months that the 5G rollout could interfere with radio altimeters, which allow pilots to measure how far a plane is from the ground. The announcement highlights ongoing disputes over airwaves as regulators attempt to balance the needs of existing users with companies' efforts to usher in the next generation of wireless technology. The companies are pausing the launch of commercial services on what's known as C-Band, the frequencies critical to allowing wireless companies to offer faster speeds at broader range. The Wall Street Journal first reported the companies' decision. AT&T spokeswoman Margaret Boles said in a statement that the delay came at the request of the Transportation Department and that the company would continue to work with regulators in "good faith." "It is critical that these discussions be informed by the science and the data," Boles said. "That is the only path to enabling experts and engineers to assess whether any legitimate coexistence issues exist." Verizon spokesman Richard Young said that the company would continue to push ahead with deployment of network equipment. "We fully expect to deploy our 5G services over this spectrum early in the first quarter of 2022," he said. Canada recently imposed restrictions on locating new 5G cell towers near the runways of large airports. Australia, France and other nations have taken steps to limit the chances of aircraft interference. The FAA bulletin said pilots should remind passengers to place any 5G device into airplane mode or switch them off during flight, and to notify the agency of any signs of interference. The C-Band spectrum can become operational on Dec. 5. The FCC awarded wireless network providers access to the radio bands in a February auction. The issue is that the FAA's technical standards for radar altimeters were crafted years before the potential for mobile-phone companies to use nearby frequencies arose. As a result, tens of thousands of the devices are in use without any protection against adjacent radio waves, the FAA said in the bulletin. In comments to the FCC, aviation industry representatives have said that it would take years to develop new standards for radar altimeters and then replace or upgrade them. Information for this article was contributed by Cat Zakrzewski of The Washington Post and by Alan Levin of Bloomberg News (TNS). https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2021/nov/05/verizon-att-hit-pause-on-5g-launch/?business What Is An Enhanced Flight Vision System? Even in recent memory, the technology available to pilots of commercial aircraft has come a long way. Cockpit crew’s workloads have been managed by the implementation of various technologies that improve aspects such as vision from the nose of the plane. An Enhanced Flight Vision System is one of these, but what exactly does an EFVS do? What is an EFVS? An Enhanced Flight Vision System, otherwise known by the acronym EFVS, refers to technology that gives pilots a better view of the world around them than would naturally be possible. The system can take one of several forms, with pilots able to view the EFVS either as part of their heads-up display, or even through a head-mounted goggle-based device. Similarly, the equipment that records the pictures transmitted through such displays can also differ. For example, the cameras in question can depict the world around them in either a standard colour manner, or in the form of an infrared or even radar display. By providing pilots a more complete picture of the world around them, the use of an EFVS can help at times when visibility is limited, either by weather or the cockpit’s sightlines. The latter of these helps to eliminate what can be considerable blindspots from the pilot’s elevated position. In some instances, the display will also feature overlays depicting aspects like a horizon bar. Things such as these ehnance both safety and operational capabilities. Airbus’s plans for such technology In the world of European commercial aviation, the topic of Enhanced Flight Vision Systems has recently become one of particular interest. This comes after Airbus announced that it would be developing a form of EFVS for use on its A320 family planes. According to Aviation Today, it may also roll out the program on other designs from its diverse portfolio. In August this year, the European manufacturer selected Collins Aerospace as the provider of its EFVS equipment. Collins will offer Airbus the services of a next-generation Enhanced Vision Sensor to optimize visibility in poor weather. The company explained that the use of its product will lead to “improved on-time performance, operational cost and fuel savings.” The company has now reached a key step in bringing this to life. This week, in association with Invest In Toulouse and Finn Partners, Simple Flying has been in attendance at Aerospace Tech Week in Toulouse, France. Here, Fabrice Bousquet, a Vision Systems Expert at Airbus UpNext, confirmed that the manufacturer has now tested a demonstrator for the system inflight on an A320. This involved the use of a camera box in the plane’s nose. Historically a military system In the grand scheme of things, EFVS has only recently become a topic in civil aviation. Indeed, the FAA first certified such a system for commercial use in 1999, despite suggestions dating back to the 1970s. Meanwhile, military aircraft have benefitted from night vision technology for many years. Impressively, this dates back to the Second World War. https://simpleflying.com/enhanced-flight-vision-system/ FAA begins first-ever drone tests to protect airports ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — The black, four-blade drone sped toward the airfield at the Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey Thursday, flying over the fence toward the runway and right past the "No Drone Zone" sign, coming within sight – and seconds – of a commercial jet taxing toward its gate. In a first, the drone had already been spotted – not by the passengers, but by the Federal Aviation Administration. "The red dots," Mike DiPilato, the FAA test director, explained as he pointed to a screen inside the trailer command center tracking the drone, was how "you can see it's moving." "Now it is over the fence line." New effort to protect airports The six distinct drone detection tests at three locations conducted at this airport within the span of a few hours Thursday marked a new effort to protect America’s airports, passengers, and crews from wayward or malicious drones, known formally as unmanned aerial systems (UAS). No member of the public or any journalist has seen this FAA initiative until now, when the agency invited the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit to observe a brisk series of exercises. Jim Patterson is leading the FAA’s research and testing of drone detection—and by next summer, drone mitigation – technology from about a dozen companies. Their names are not being disclosed at this stage of the process. "We understand the threat," Patterson said. "We are going to fully understand these systems and be able to make a confident decision that they're safe for the airport environment." Drone sightings spike The threat is real. Drone sightings near U.S. airports or aircraft have reached nearly the entire total from 2020 in just the first six months of this year, according to publicly available FAA data. And yet, the FAA has repeatedly warned airports that federal law, for now, does not allow them to buy their own drone defense systems. Leesa Papier, executive director of the FAA’s National Security Programs and Incident Response section, is in charge of writing the rule that will one-day allow those systems nationwide. "We're being very deliberate and methodical about our approach to this," Papier said, "because as we move forward in regulatory action, we want to make sure that we are as clear as we could possibly be to make sure that we help the airports, but at the same time, we do no additional harm." When asked by a correspondent if she would acknowledge that many airports say they can’t get drone detection and mitigation technology fast enough, Papier answered: "I do recognize that." With new urgency, the first-of-their-kind tests will soon expand to a total of five commercial airports across the country, adding those in Washington, Ohio, Alabama and New York, a process that began with a solicitation for airport hosts. But those phases of the research and testing, spearheaded from the FAA Technical Center adjacent to the Atlantic City airport, are expected to last for another 18 months, putting a national rule for airports to follow – and the prospect of securing drone spotting and defense technology – even further beyond that. In an interview on the airfield after observing the initial testing, Papier would not commit to a specific timeline. "We do not have a date at this point in time," she said. "We're being very safe, very deliberate." Airports 'completely blind' The agency is taking that deliberate approach, Papier says, so that any technology that meets the eventual FAA rule does not interfere with complicated systems on planes or at airports. But the wait has its own risks. Two years ago, the Hearst Television National Investigative Unit revealed new technology seeking to counter drone attacks, whether near the Super Bowl, against the U.S. military, or at airports. The then-director of the San Luis Obispo Airport on the California coast, Kevin Bumen, said in an interview in 2019 that his airport, like nearly all the ones in the country, are without drone defense technology, a gap that left his commercial airfield "completely blind." The director of the airport in Atlantic City where the FAA research testing occurred this week, Tim Kroll, agreed with Bumen. "We absolutely do need that technology. It's critical for safety and security of the airport," Kroll said. Drone attacks pose growing threat Attacks have already been launched against American troops overseas. The defense department says a drone attack struck a U.S. position in Syria just last month. Michael Chertoff, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security under Pres. George W. Bush, warned in an interview the country should "buckle up; you’re going to see" UAS attacks on American soil. "Look at some laws that perhaps in their current application are a little bit antiquated and revise them to take account of new technologies," Chertoff said. "Because otherwise we're going to wind up with drone attacks." That is one of the drone-related problems the FAA is facing – and, it says, trying to solve. Jim Patterson, the FAA official overseeing the research and testing now underway, explained a "new era" is taking off to meet the incoming threat. "It's critical that we make sure we understand these technologies and how they behave," Patterson said. https://www.wxii12.com/article/faa-begins-first-ever-drone-tests-to-protect-airports/38166246 Hemp Biofuel: A Viable Option for Airlines? Last month, Southwest Airlines announced a 10-year plan to maintain carbon neutrality to 2019 levels, including an initiative to replace 10% of its total jet fuel consumption with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) by 2030. To achieve this, the airline will partner with Neste to acquire up to 5 million gallons of SAF through December 2023, and will work with Marathon Petroleum Corporation and Phillips 66 on the large-scale production of SAF. In a University of Kentucky (UK) study, which was published in 2017 in Bioresource Technology Journal, research led by Jian Shi, assistant professor in UK’s Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, demonstrated that hemp has biofuel-producing potential comparable to other bioenergy crops such as kenaf, switchgrass and sorghum, which could ultimately make it a viable biofuel option for airlines. Last year, Shi and his team published a new study in the American Chemical Society’s Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering Journal that revealed that dual-purpose industrial hemp cultivars show the best biofuel potential, based on UK’s research. Shi told Hemp Grower that while the promise of electric cars has perhaps eliminated the need for biofuels to power automobiles, biofuel—including biofuel made from hemp biomass—is still an attractive replacement for jet fuel, although hemp production and infrastructure may need to evolve a bit more before major airlines can jump on board with hemp biofuel. Waiting on the Runway Hemp farmers need to improve their overall yield, Shi said, and production costs must be lowered to make the price of hemp biofuel more competitive when compared to petroleum-based jet fuel. “Part of the difficulty, I think, with hemp is going to be the quantity,” said Wayne Lee, CEO of bioeconomy consulting group Lee Enterprises. “It’d be hundreds of tons per month necessary, and then can you get it into the proper pipelines to get it to the airlines timely?” The harvesting, storage and transportation of the biomass from the field to the biofuel refinery must be streamlined, Shi agreed, and he said there must be robust infrastructure in place to distribute the biofuel to customers such as airlines. “It’s really some of the same challenges that face any biomass to [an] energy type of system,” added Bob Pearce, interim director of hemp programs at UK’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. “In order for something like that to be economical, you’re going to have to have the processing, at least the initial processing, occur very close to the source of the material being produced because the fiber, the biomass that you’re producing, is bulky and transportation costs are going to eat you up if you have to take it any distance to a processing facility.” The market will also have to determine the optimal size for processing plants, Lee added, and the facilities should follow quality control standards which have yet to be established for the hemp biofuel industry. Another challenge, Pearce added, is having enough hemp farmers—and enough available land—within processing facility area. “Assuming you have a plant in the area, you’re going to have to have enough growers interested within that area to supply materials to keep that plant running,” he said. “And in the process, people are making land use decisions and that crop is going to have to displace other crops in the area. It’s going to have to be economically competitive to displace those other crops. It brings up the discussion of, do we displace food crops for energy crops on our available land base? But those are discussions that have to be had for any type of biomass for energy kind of system.” Hemp farmers will also have to decide whether they want to sell their crops for biofuel instead of fiber, grain, CBD or uses. “There are some value-added products that may be more valuable than say, an inexpensive fuel, which has multiple inputs of competing feed stocks, when the plant has some very unique properties that could be leveraged more effectively,” said Richard Guiles, executive vice president of Lee Enterprises. Along those lines, Pearce said that the biomass waste created from more valuable end products may be able to be used for energy, but more research is needed. “If we extract the flowers, there’s a lot of waste material left over,” he said. “Could we divert that waste material into a biomass conversion type of process for energy? That way, you’re still producing either CBD or grain and then just utilizing what would be considered the waste material for energy.” Soon to Take Flight With the proper production techniques and infrastructure in place, Pearce said that hemp has a unique opportunity to supply biorefineries, particularly because it could produce more biomass than other crops. “It does have the potential of being a large producer of biomass, relative to some other crops, if we can get the right cultivars and the right management and those kinds of things,” he said. “We could potentially get the stuff to grow 12 or 15 feet tall and produce a lot of biomass on a per acre basis. In that way, I think it could have some advantages over some other types of crops.” The bottom line: Lee said that biomass could be sustainable as aviation biofuel, but it is unclear whether hemp biomass in particular is the best option for biofuel overall. “It’s probably not cost-competitive right now, but then again, there are things that society is wanting to promote that are in the infancy stage and aren’t necessarily economically feasible,” he said. “That’s why you have subsidies, to try to promote something in its fledgling years, to try to get it to where it can stand alone and sustain. Whether hemp is that product in particular and whether this is the highest and best use of hemp, I’m not sure. Definitely biomass, in general, will be more and more utilized, probably in the very near future.” “It’s not like people haven’t looked at other sources of biomass for energy production, but the technology needs improved,” Pearce added. “The more efficient we can get at converting those materials into energy, the more potential there becomes." https://www.hempgrower.com/article/hemp-biofuel-for-airlines/ Clean energy technologies need a major boost to keep net zero by 2050 within reach Only 2 out of 46 energy technologies and sectors are ‘on track’ with IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario, with accelerated efforts needed across all sectors The International Energy Agency’s latest and most comprehensive assessment of clean energy technology progress worldwide shows that a step change in action and ambition is needed across all energy technologies and sectors to keep the goal of net zero emissions by 2050 within reach. Of the 46 energy technologies and sectors assessed in the IEA’s latest edition of Tracking Clean Energy Progress (TCEP), only two are on track with the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario. These latest findings follow IEA analysis showing that global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are set for their second largest increase in history in 2021, while clean energy accounts for just 3% of global economic recovery spending to date. For the first time, this year’s TCEP tracks progress against the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario, which was set out in the IEA’s landmark Global Roadmap. The scenario represents a narrow but feasible pathway for the global energy sector to achieve net zero CO2 emissions by 2050, universal energy access by 2030 and major improvements in air quality, while also ensuring stable and affordable energy supplies and enabling robust economic growth. Previous iterations of TCEP assessed progress against the Sustainable Development Scenario. Despite the higher ambitions of the new benchmark and disruptions from the Covid-19 crisis, some clean energy technologies continued to show progress and remain “on track” with net zero ambitions. Electric car sales rose by 40% in 2020 to reach a record 3 million, despite overall car sales falling by 16% due to the effects of the pandemic. Initial data for 2021 suggests further growth. Lighting technologies continued to show healthy momentum, with LEDs reaching over 50% of the global lighting market. Several emerging technologies saw encouraging progress, but these positive trends need to accelerate rapidly over the current decade to achieve deployment levels in line with a net zero by 2050 trajectory. Additions of battery storage capacity jumped by 50% last year to their highest ever level, while hydrogen saw a record year for policy action and low-carbon production. Momentum behind carbon capture, utilisation and storage has increased in recent years, but its deployment remains far below the level required in a pathway to net zero by mid-century. In total, 18 technology areas need further improvements, while 26 are “not on track” with the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario. One of the most significant sectors that isn’t on track is power generation, whose emissions fell by 3% in 2020 due to pandemic-induced lockdowns and a record share of renewables, but are set to rebound in 2021, driven by increased electricity demand and coal-fired generation. The rapid decarbonisation of the power system is critical for the success of the clean energy transition, since power generation accounts for 40% of energy-related CO2 emissions and electricity is increasingly being used to meet energy demand in key sectors of the economy. All three energy end-use sectors – industry, buildings and transport – are not on track. In industry, much stronger progress is needed on material and energy efficiency, the uptake of renewable fuels, and development and deployment of low-carbon processes. To align with the Net Zero Emissions by 2050 Scenario, all new buildings need to be zero-carbon-ready as soon as 2030 along with one-fifth of existing buildings through retrofits. Less than 1% of existing buildings today are zero-carbon ready. In transport, stronger policies are needed to encourage shifts to using low-carbon modes of transport, greater energy efficiency measures, and the building out of infrastructure to support zero emission vehicles, as well as the development and uptake of those vehicle in long-distance transport. Progress on clean energy innovation will be crucial to help develop and deploy the full range of clean energy technologies needed to decarbonise the sectors, in particular those where emissions are the most challenging to reduce, such as aviation, shipping and heavy industry. Flaring and methane emissions from oil and gas operations – responsible for around 7% of global energy sector GHG emissions – are set to rebound in 2021 along with increased oil and gas production. In the NZE, methane emissions from fossil fuel operations fall by 75% and all non-emergency flaring is eliminated by 2030. The analysis in TCEP draws on the IEA’s unique understanding of energy markets, modelling, technologies and statistics to track and assess progress on technology deployment, performance, investment, policy and innovation. It also benefits from the IEA’s extensive global technology network, which involves over 6,000 experts in the Technology Collaboration Programme. Given the urgency and scale of action needed for clean energy transitions around the world, TCEP features a comprehensive list of recommended actions for governments, industry and other key actors in the global energy system. TCEP is part of the IEA’s broader efforts on tracking energy transitions to help inform decision makers and the general public on where to focus innovation, investment and policy attention to achieve climate and sustainable development goals. https://www.iea.org/news/clean-energy-technologies-need-a-major-boost-to-keep-net-zero-by-2050-within-reach Wally Funk, Oklahoma astronaut and space pioneer, to address Women in Aviation and Aerospace Luncheon this Friday, Nov. 5. The Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission (OAC), in partnership with the Oklahoma Airport Operators Association (OAOA), AAR Corporation, Omni Air Transport, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, and the Oklahoma Chapter of Ninety-Nines (99s) is presenting the fifth annual Oklahoma Women in Aviation & Aerospace Day Luncheon with keynote speaker Astronaut Mary Wallace “Wally” Funk. American aviator and space tourist Wally Funk was the first female air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, the first female civilian flight instructor at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and the first female Federal Aviation Agency inspector, as well as one of the Mercury 13. Funk became the oldest woman to go to space on July 20, 2021, at age 82, as part of Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft during its suborbital flight. The history of Oklahoma Women in Aviation and Aerospace Day began in 2017 when the Oklahoma State Legislature passed a bill to officially recognize the contribution of Oklahoma women in the state’s aviation and aerospace industry annually on December 9. Former Governor Mary Fallin signed the bill into law and it took effect November 1 of that that same year. “We could not be more thrilled to welcome Wally Funk, 99s from around the U.S., and many other aviation leaders to our great state to celebrate the contributions of women throughout history in the aviation industry,” Event Chair Sandra Shelton said. “Today, women are represented in all sectors of our industry from commercial airports to military installations and growing the space sector and our event is dedicated to recognizing these achievements and paving the way for future innovations led by women in the field.” The date marks the birth of the famous Chickasaw aviator, Pearl Carter Scott, of Marlow, Oklahoma. Scott learned to fly at the age of 13 under legendary aviator Wiley Post. She became the youngest pilot in the United States with her first solo flight on Sept. 12, 1929, the same year that Amelia Earhart established the female pilot group, the Ninety-Nines. Attendees are asked to wear pearls in honor of Scott at the Nov. 5 event. “Oklahoma Airport Operators Association is proud to stand alongside our industry colleagues to recognize the contributions of women in aviation and particularly the women who play a role in leading our state’s airports,” Tulsa International Airport CEO and OAOA President Alexis Higgins said. “We celebrate their success and are committed to making airport careers accessible to young women just beginning to explore their future in our industry.” After Funk’s keynote, a panel discussion is planned that will include Corbi Bullock, President 99s International; Alexis Higgins, Tulsa International, OAOA; Michelle Coppedge, FAA Mike Monroney Center; Lt. Col. Jennifer Garrison, Tinker Commander for the 964 AACS; Macy Bratton, Integrated Support Planning and Management Engineer; Shivanjli Sharma, National Campaign – Deputy Lead, NASA Ames Research Center. Remarks throughout the day will be provided by State Director of Aeronautics Grayson Ardies, Governor Kevin Stitt, Secretary of Transportation Tim Gatz, Executive Director of Commerce Brent Kisling, and Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt. Astronaut John Herrington will serve as the event’s celebrity emcee for the day. Sandra Shelton, OAC Public and Government Affairs Coordinator, and Gloria Williams, AAR Corporation Human Resources Director served as this year’s event chairs. Committee members for the 2021 event include: Ashley Glass, Jones PR; Leshia Pearson, Oklahoma Department of Commerce and ACES Program; Trina Southard, Oklahoma Chapter of 99s; Rep. Tammy Townley; Shann Brashier, Vice President, Women in Aviation at OSU; Ally Carson, Oklahoma Defense Industry Association; Tracy Poindexter, USAF; Gary Johnson, OAOA; Michelle Bouziden, Oklahoma Aeronautics; Sarah Kelley, USAF; Alexis Higgins, Oklahoma Airport Operators Association & Tulsa International Airport; Holly Blunk, OK Chapter of 99’s; and Andrea Post, Oklahoma Aeronautics. Many of the state’s top aviation and aerospace entities participate in Oklahoma Women in Aviation & Aerospace Day including 5B Aviation; AAR Corporation; ACES/Oklahoma Department of Commerce; Acorn Growth Companies; Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission; Alaska Airlines; American Jet Charter; Ardmore Development Authority; ASAP Energy Inc; Aviation Training Consulting; Boeing; Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education; Consolidated Turbine Specialists, LLC; Delaware Resource Group (DRG); Delta Consultants; First Mate Financial; First United Bank; Garver; Gilchrist Aviation Law, P.C.; Guernsey; Intercontinental Jet Service Corp.; Jones PR; Jviation; Kratos; KSA; Mead & Hunt; Moore Norman Vo-Tech; Nomad Defense; Northrop Grumman; Oklahoma Airport Operators Association (OAOA); Oklahoma Defense Industry Association (ODIA); Omni Air Transport; Parkhill; Paul Rosino for Senate 2020; Pratt & Whitney; Ready 3; Rep. Tammy Townley; Robinson Aviation, Inc.; Route 66 Flight School; SeaTec; Spirit AeroSystems; Stillwater Regional Airport, City of Stillwater; Sundance Airport; Sustainment Tech; Tulsa International Airport; United Dynamics; and the University of Oklahoma School of Aviation Studies. Aviation Industry Facts in Sum: • The Oklahoma Aviation & Aerospace Industry produces just under $44B in annual economic activity, making it the second largest economic engine in our state. • Three segments account for the $44B total: Military aviation, $19.3B; off-airport aviation and aerospace businesses, $13.9B; and the 109 commercial and general aviation airports, $10.6B. • Aviation & Aerospace supports 206,000 jobs totaling an $11.7B payroll. • The average salary in the industry is $73,300 making it one of the highest average salaries in the state. About Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission: The mission of the Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission is to promote aviation, which includes ensuring that the needs of commerce and communities across the state are met by the state’s 108 publicly owned airports that comprise the Oklahoma Airport System and helping ensure the viability of the state’s aerospace industry. The Women in Aviation and Aerospace Luncheon will be held at the AAR Corporation, 6501 S. Meridian in Oklahoma City. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased here. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. for registration and social hour and the program begins at 11:30 a.m. https://www.city-sentinel.com/business/wally-funk-oklahoma-astronaut-and-space-pioneer-to-address-women-in-aviation-and-aerospace-luncheon/article_572a067c-3d3a-11ec-88e6-171f40bc56ed.html SpaceX's next astronaut launch for NASA delayed again by bad weather (and a possible Dragon landing) CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX's next astronaut launch for NASA has been delayed again. The U.S. space agency and SpaceX have pushed the launch of the Crew-3 mission, which will send four astronauts to the International Space Station, from Saturday (Nov. 6) to Monday (Nov. 8) at the earliest, because of anticipated bad weather over the coming days. NASA and SpaceX are also now considering whether to bring the four astronauts of the previous mission, Crew-2, back down to Earth before sending Crew-3 skyward. A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule and Falcon 9 rocket were originally scheduled to launch Crew-3 early Sunday morning (Oct. 31) from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center here in Florida. But before the crew could climb aboard, NASA announced a 72-hour delay, citing poor weather conditions along the rocket's flight path. Then, a minor medical issue cropped up with one of the astronauts, forcing the agency to push the launch out to no earlier than 11:36 p.m. EDT on Saturday (Nov. 6; 0336 GMT on Nov. 7). However, Mother Nature has now nixed that plan, as the weather conditions all weekend look pretty poor, according to forecasters at the 45th Space Delta here at Cape Canaveral. So NASA and SpaceX are rethinking their plans for both launch and splashdown. "Mission teams are now considering whether to return the agency's SpaceX Crew-2 mission from the space station ahead of launching the next crew rotation due to the associated weather conditions for both launch and recovery operations," agency representatives wrote in a blog post on Thursday (Nov. 4). The Crew-2 astronauts currently on station — NASA's Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, along with European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Pesquet and Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency spaceflyer Akihiko Hoshide — were originally slated to come home on Thursday, assuming the Crew-3 quartet of NASA's Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, Kayla Barron and ESA's Matthias Maurer launched on Oct. 31. The original Crew-3 delay to Wednesday (Nov. 3) put Crew-2's earliest departure on Nov. 7. However, the weather is the most important factor in determining when each mission either gets off the ground or splashes down. Crew-2, which launched in April, is in a bit of a time crunch, since its Dragon spacecraft is rated to stay in space for approximately 210 days, or 7 months. With that deadline fast approaching, and the weather looking bleak, NASA may decide to bring that mission home first. "These are dynamic and complex decisions that change day by day," Steve Stich, NASA's Commercial Crew program manager said in the blog post. "The weather in November can be especially challenging, so our goal is to move forward on the plan with the highest probability of mission assurance and safety." The earliest Crew-2 could come home is now Sunday (Nov. 7), while the earliest that Crew-3 could launch is Monday night (Nov. 8). NASA says it will continue to monitor weather conditions both at the Cape and downrange to determine the best course of action in the next few days. The Crew-3 astronaut's medical issue is expected to clear up by launch day, NASA officials said. https://www.space.com/spacex-nasa-crew-3-launch-delay-crew-2-landing Curt Lewis