Project description
Sustainable aviation fuels to reduce climate impact of contrails
Aviation impacts the climate, with contrail cirrus being a contributor to radiative forcing. These contrails form when soot particles from engine emissions mix with moisture in the air, leading to ice crystals. While using sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) could help reduce soot and ice crystal formation, testing has shown mixed results due to differences in fuels, engine types, and testing conditions. This makes it hard to draw clear conclusions. In this context, the EU-funded PACIFIC project will test a wide range of SAFs with consistent engine settings and fuel compositions. The project will improve models for soot formation, predict particle emissions more accurately, and assess SAF’s potential. This will support the development of sustainable aviation practices.
Objective
Among aviation’s non-CO2 impacts, the largest radiative forcing value is attributed to contrail cirrus. Recent tests have revealed an opportunity for lowering soot particles emissions and ice crystals -which play a pivotal role in contrail properties- through the use of SAF. However, substantial disparities remain among those test campaigns, involving a large variety of fuels, engine types and combustors. It is therefore not straightforward to compare and reconcile results.
In this context, PACIFIC aims to bridge the gap: the project will test an unprecedented set of fuels from lab up to engine/aircraft level with a similarity of hardware and combustion parameters. It will translate the results into modelling efforts, to better correlate: (i) soot formation, based on an improved Yield Soot Index database and prediction model; (ii) particle emissions, depending on fuel composition for the whole engine thrust range via an upgraded ground-to-flight correlation methodology; (iii) the ice forming potential of engine emissions, using advanced measurement methods on ground; (iv) the non-CO2 emission mitigation potential, through the impact assessment of fuel composition and engine cycle on contrail properties and radiative forcing, and longer-term climate impacts (including CO2 emissions fuel production). This will allow to consolidate the cost-benefit assessment of various fuel options and provide valuable inputs to potential future fuel-related measures.
By doing so, PACIFIC will pave the way for future fuel specifications minimizing the climate and local air quality impacts, and will provide important inputs to future modelling and testing work.
PACIFIC leverages on 11 partners from 4 countries, bringing together a unique combination of engine/aircraft manufacturers, fuel producers, research and academic expertise at the forefront of sustainable aviation, collectively driving advancements to help strengthening the European aeronautics' leadership position.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences computer and information sciences databases
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering vehicle engineering aerospace engineering aircraft
- engineering and technology environmental engineering energy and fuels
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.2.5 - Climate, Energy and Mobility
MAIN PROGRAMME
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HORIZON.2.5.7 - Clean, Safe and Accessible Transport and Mobility
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HORIZON.2.5.6 - Industrial Competitiveness in Transport
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-RIA - HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL5-2024-D5-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
31060 Toulouse
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.