Emissions Plans Could Hobble Bizav, de Decker Says

By: Chad Trautvetter

June 2, 2009
Government, Environment

Conklin & de Decker cofounder and president Bill de Decker is warning that the proposed cap-and-trade legislation intended to reduce CO₂ emissions could have serious effects on the business aviation industry, and as early as 2012. Under proposed H.R.2454, the goal is to reduce CO₂ emissions to 17 percent of 2005 levels by 2050, with intermediate goals of 97 percent in 2012, 80 percent in 2020 and 58 percent in 2030.

Employing his company’s new CO₂ calculator, de Decker estimated business aircraft emissions out to 2050 using forecasts and a 1-percent fuel efficiency gain per year driven by technology advances. De Decker’s calculations are shocking: in 2012, business aviation’s emissions are expected to be 15 million tons, but the allowable limit will be 10.97 million tons; in 2020, 19.52 versus 9.05 million tons; in 2030, 23.63 versus 6.56 million tons; and in 2050, 33.29 versus 1.92 million tons.

“To meet the 2050 target will require an improvement in efficiency for the fleet of 8 percent for each year of the next 40 years if we keep on using jet-A,” de Decker told AIN. “That is three to four times the average annual improvement in efficiency we have actually experienced between 1965 and today.”

Back

Senate Continues FAA Budget Tussle for Fifth Day March 18, 2010 Slowed by a plethora of amendments, including many that have little or nothing to do with aviation, the Senate is continuing to plod through a... [more]
Transport Canada Reclaims Bizav Authority from CBAA March 16, 2010 Canadian Transport Minister John Baird today announced that Transport Canada is taking back the certification and oversight functions for... [more]
FAA Loses Air Trek Appeal March 16, 2010 The NTSB denied an FAA appeal of a judicial decision requiring the agency to pay Punta Gorda, Fla.-based aeromedical operator Air Trek... [more]
Senate Finally Moves FAA Reauthorization to Floor March 11, 2010 Debate on S.1451, a bill that would reauthorize FAA spending and programs for two years, began this morning on the Senate floor. In addition to... [more]
ADS-B Final Rule Hits Stumbling Blocks March 09, 2010 The FAA’s long-promised April 10 release of its ADS-B final rule appears to have hit two bureaucratic stumbling blocks. For the agency to... [more]