WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Lycoming Engines has been included as part of the Aviation Climate Solutions collection of 100 examples of how the aviation industry is collaborating to cut carbon dioxide emissions and help reduce its impact on climate changer
Lycoming received this recognition for its ion nitriding project, which enabled the company to significantly reduce its environmental impact versus the previous process.
Michael Gill, executive director of the Air Transport Action Group, a cross-industry association that published the report, said, “Aviation plays a vital role in the world economy, providing connectivity for people and business. Our industry has also taken a lead in climate action, putting in place a comprehensive framework and goals to reduce emissions from air transport. The Aviation Climate Solutions are a set of case studies showing how different parts of the industry all over the world, including Lycoming Engines, are working together to reduce our climate impact.”
The group has put together a graphic that shows the global impact of transportation here.
Lycoming’s ion nitriding project eliminated hazardous waste streams, reduced emissions and improved production efficiency, according to company officials.
The project also included the construction of a more energy-efficient facility within the manufacturing plant to house the new processes.
Some of the project’s measurable environmental impacts include:
- Reduction of annual CO2 emissions by 1.2 million pounds;
- Reduction of annual electricity usage by 110,000 kWh; and
- Reduction of annual water consumption by 400,000 gallons.
Aviation Climate Solutions was released at the Global Sustainable Aviation Summit in Geneva, Switzerland, alongside an open letter from industry executives that reaffirms the industry’s commitment to climate action; and calls on governments to support it with the development of a global market-based measure for aviation emissions, improved efficiency in air traffic management and accelerating research for alternative fuels and new technology.
In 2008, the aviation sector became the first to set global goals to proactively manage its climate change impact. The industry will stabilize its net CO2 emissions from 2020 through a concept called carbon-neutral growth, whereby traffic would continue to rise to meet the demands of society and the economy, but growth would be offset through a global market-based measure. The longer-term goal is to actually reduce net CO2 emissions from aviation to half of what they were in 2005, by 2050.