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Boeing
has just released its 2008 Environment Report, detailing its performance, strategy and actions to reduce its environmental footprint and
help the aerospace industry with environmentally progressive products and services.
"Climate change and pollution are serious global concerns," said Jim McNerney, Boeing chairman, president and CEO. "Recognizing that,
Boeing has set a clear strategy to help protect our eco-system. Our greatest contributions will continue to come from
innovation - delivering improved environmental performance for customers while relentlessly reducing our own footprint."
Over the last 40 years,
airplane emissions of carbon dioxide have been reduced by around 70% and the noise footprints have been reduced by
approximately 90%. Boeing targets improving fuel efficiency of each new generation of commercial airplane by 15% compared
to the airplanes they replace.
"It's a good record, but it's clear we need to accelerate our efforts," said McNerney. "Because of the tremendous benefits aerospace brings
to the world, our industry - and our company with it - is growing, and we are focused on achieving carbon-neutral growth and then continued
reductions."
The 2008 Environment Report states that Boeing's manufacturing operations have achieved significant improvements between 2002 and
2007. On a revenue-adjusted basis, Boeing has reduced energy use and carbon dioxide emissions at its major facilities by 24%
and hazardous waste by 30%. On an absolute basis the reductions are 5% for energy use, 4.8% for carbon dioxide emissions
and 12% for hazardous waste.
Some highlights of Boeing's work with environmentally progressive technologies include:
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Flight of a commercial airplane powered in part by biofuels, in collaboration with Virgin Atlantic Airways and GE Aviation.
Boeing is focused on research for advanced generations of sustainable biofuels using biomass that do not compete with food crops or
water resources.
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A straight-and-level flight of a manned airplane powered only by a fuel-cell. The research may benefit secondary aircraft
system power use.
- Delivery of
solar cells by Boeing subsidiary Spectrolab Inc., to an Australian customer to power a 154MW power
station.
The 2008 Environment Report highlights that Boeing is now targeting a further
25% revenue-adjusted reduction of energy use and
greenhouse gas emissions by 2012, with similar goals for recycling and hazardous waste.
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