Airbus, within a consortium of 10 partners from four European countries, has launched PACIFIC, a project to study the impact of aviation's non-CO2 emissions on Local Air Quality and Climate with a focus on contrails. Recent studies suggest that the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) could reduce both soot particles and contrail ice crystals. However, additional information on fuel composition and its processing in the engine is necessary to better understand the effects and benefits of SAF.

PACIFIC (Particle emissions, Air Quality and Climate Impact related to Fuel Composition and Engine Cycle) seeks to bridge the gap in understanding aviation's non-CO2 emissions by testing an unprecedented range of fuels under controlled conditions. The project will ensure consistency in combustion parameters and hardware similarity from lab-scale experiments at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to full aircraft engine tests at Airbus Toulouse.

The research will focus on understanding how soot forms during fuel combustion, using improved prediction tools to better anticipate its presence in engine emissions. It will also analyse the quantity of fine particles released at different engine power levels, refining methods to estimate their impact from ground tests to real flight conditions. Another key aspect is assessing how these particles contribute to ice crystal formation, a major factor in contrail development, using advanced measurement techniques. Finally, the project will evaluate the broader climate effects of these emissions by examining how different fuel compositions and engine settings influence contrail formation and properties, and their impact on global warming.

By consolidating these insights, PACIFIC will contribute to a robust cost-benefit assessment of various fuel options, providing crucial inputs for potential future fuel-related regulations. The project will ultimately help define new fuel specifications aimed at reducing aviation’s climate and air quality impact while reinforcing Europe’s leadership in sustainable aeronautics.

Project Partners:

4 industry key-players:

Airbus – France (coordinator)

Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co Kg - Rrde, Germany

Neste Oyj - Neste, Finland

Rolls-Royce Plc- Rruk, UK

1 research and technology organisation:

Deutsches Zentrum Fur Luft-und Raumfahrt Ev - Dlr, Germany

4 universities:

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz – Jgu, Germany

Helsingin Ylioposto – Uhel, Finland

The Manchester Metropolitan University – Mmu, UK

The University of Sheffield– Usfd, UK

1 SME:

Erdyn Consultants Sas – Erdyn, France

Project Facts:

Project reference: 101192334
Horizon Europe call: HORIZON-CL5-2024-D5-01
Start Date: 01 Jan 2025
Duration: 42 months
Requested EU Contribution: €4 998 555.50.