E-Paper
India's aerospace sector is aligning with sustainability goals
This article is authored by Pavan Ranga, MD & CEO, Rangsons Aerospace.
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India’s aviation sector finds itself at a crossroads, meeting the world’s push for net-zero emissions by 2050 head-on. As one of the world’s fastest-growing aviation markets, India has a lot riding on this shift. What is changing now is that India can point to concrete steps, from refinery upgrades to supplier innovation, that translate ambition into measurable progress.
Elimination of only one kg in the aircraft parts means fuel savings that can be seen. Indian aerospace firms are fast adopting light materials such as composites and advanced alloys for all types of projects, be they civil or military. HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Limited) is receiving carbon-fibre composites in their military and training aircrafts. These breakthroughs are cutting lifetime emissions and at the same time attracting India's position in the world aerospace supply chains.
Although materials have been of utmost importance since time immemorial, design innovation has become just as critical. Aerospace centers of Indian engineering, which cater to global OEMs, are responsible for moving the technologies, such as aerodynamic improvements, blended winglets, and more-electric systems that drastically reduce energy consumption. The research done in ISRO's aerospace programmes has given birth to not only lighter but also more efficient subsystems that find their way into civil applications. Therefore, the fusion of design and research definitely keeps Indian engineering at the forefront of the global transition to eco-friendly aircraft.
Sustainability has moved from being an option to a must-have at the shop floor. To reduce the carbon footprint of their operations, aerospace manufacturers are putting money into energy-efficient processes, renewable power, and less waste. For instance, HAL has set up solar power plants in its Bengaluru plants while private players practice the circular economy by recycling of super alloys and using cleaner machining techniques. These practices not only bring Indian suppliers in line with the ESG audits that global primes are already requiring before granting contracts but also make them more appealing.
Nothing affects the aviation industry's future as much as the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) does. India got its first practical achievements in this field, with SpiceJet operating the first biojet-powered flight in Asia in 2018, thus proving the biojet market in Asia. Air India has also revealed SAF tests to be conducted and regulatory talks are already in place for SAF mixtures starting at 1% in 2027, which are planned to increase thereafter.
Refineries are enhancing their capabilities to manufacture sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) from discarded cooking oil and crop residues. The Panipat refinery of Indian Oil has been authorized and certified for commercial SAF production projects, which are set to produce 35,000 tonnes annually in the initial phase. This is a significant industrial transformation of low-carbon aviation fuel supply. However, owing to the high cost of SAF, which is approximately three times conventional jet fuel price, the near-term adoption is restricted. The intricate logistics involved in bringing biomass feedstocks and the need for infrastructure scale-up are other issues that challenge a rapid large-scale transition.
India has chosen a special approach of coordinating between different institutions. Concepts of green propulsion and high technology composite materials are being developed by the council of scientific and industrial research (CSIR), the best universities and even by the individual companies. Composite materials. In the meantime, entrepreneurs are developing light UAV prototypes that use alternative fuels and large suppliers are using ESG principles in their production process.
India has large sources of biomass, deep skill base in engineering and an aerospace supply chain that is growing up, meaning that for India, it is not only able to comply with the global standards but it is also able to influence them. The idea of sustainability is no longer a symbol of goodwill, sustainability is coming to be the main course that will either make India aerospace industry a key part of the transformation in the aviation industry of the world and the skies will not only be busier, but also cleaner.
(The views expressed are personal)
This article is authored by Pavan Ranga, MD & CEO, Rangsons Aerospace.
