South African scientists are making a major contribution to research designed to lower the carbon footprint of planes.
According to researcher at the University of Cape Town (UCT) Robert Morrell, South Africa is set to play an important role in specialised technological applications that could have far-reaching effects in mitigating climate change.
In an article published in Politicsweb, he says this may come as a surprise because technological innovation and advancement are associated with the high-tech industries and research institutes of the global North.
Professor Arnaud Malan in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UCT has developed a team to explore the possibility of using liquid hydrogen in the aeronautical industry. This is a fuel that could reduce carbon emissions by up to 40% and make a significant contribution to measures to combat climate change.
While South Africa has long been a leader in knowledge production in Africa, its impact has seldom been obvious in the aeronautical industry, says Morrell. Now, Malan’s work in Industry Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) provides evidence that South Africa can join the global project of significantly reducing carbon emissions in commercial jetliners.
And while there has been a shift to electrical cars and solar panels, the aeronautical industry, particularly large passenger aircraft, has been a harder nut to crack.
Air transport is the second-largest producer of greenhouse gases. It has however proven particularly challenging to decarbonise. There is now an obvious need for the all-hands-on-deck approach, Morrell adds. The challenge is being approached on multiple levels, but the search for new non-carbon fuels and scientific research that accompanies this venture is one of the major tools being used to pursue this goal.
In the UK, the government has committed to a Jet Zero plan which aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Another example of commitment and urgency is Singapore’s requirement that departing flights use sustainable fuels from 2026.
The search for new carbon-zero options has generated research and investment. Much of the science behind these innovations has been developed and applied in the global North. This reflects a long history of knowledge production where the global South has been less able to participate in these processes.
Malan has been winning contracts to work for Airbus for over 10 years.
Morrell points out that he works in a highly competitive field, tackling the challenge of designing a new aircraft that can fly with liquid hydrogen. This will require radical new designs because the volumes of liquid hydrogen required for long flights are much greater than conventional carbon-based aviation fuels.
