Weak Aircraft Innovation Undercutting Aviation’s Green Transition - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica highlights concerns about the aviation industry's slow progress in innovating greener aircraft technologies, which threatens its ability to meet decarbonization targets. Ahead of the Paris Air Show, analysis by Transport & Environment (T&E) reveals that reliance on conventional fossil-fuel-powered aircraft and incremental improvements, such as re-engining older models, are insufficient. T&E’s modeling suggests that with ambitious innovation—such as the development and deployment of zero-emission aircraft—European aviation could improve efficiency by up to 13-17% by 2050, potentially reducing CO₂ emissions by 123 million tonnes. This reduction equates to removing 62 million petrol and diesel cars from European roads for a year and would significantly contribute to the sector’s green transition. However, the article points out that aircraft innovation has stalled over the past decade, with no new models expected in the next ten years. Major manufacturers Airbus and Boeing dominate the market but have largely focused on incremental updates rather than disruptive