Lufthansa Group partners with Airbus in pioneering carbon-removal initiative

Thursday, December 7, 2023

The Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) technology is recognized as a promising solution to reduce CO2 in the atmosphere. It involves filtering carbon dioxide directly from the air and permanently storing it. The Lufthansa Group has been an early explorer of this innovative process, considering it a complementary tool in its sustainability strategy.

Recently, the Lufthansa Group entered into an agreement with Airbus to pre-purchase verified and durable carbon-removal credits amounting to 40,000 tonnes of CO2. These credits, facilitated through Airbus’s Airbus Carbon Capture Offer (ACCO) service, will be available from 2026. The agreement includes an annual purchase commitment of 10,000 tonnes of CO2 removal credits for four years, following a joint declaration of intent in 2022.

Caroline Drischel, Head of Corporate Responsibility at the Lufthansa Group, emphasizes the company’s strong commitment to making air transport more sustainable and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. She highlights significant investments in fleet modernization and a dedication to Sustainable Aviation Fuels, with technical CO2 removal solutions playing a crucial role in the decarbonization journey.

Nicolas Chrétien, Head of Environment & Sustainability at Airbus, acknowledges the Lufthansa Group’s pioneering role in exploring direct air carbon capture and storage solutions. He emphasizes the importance of carbon removal in achieving the aviation industry’s goal of net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050.

DACCS technology operates by utilizing high-powered fans to filter CO2 emissions directly from the air. The extracted CO2 is then securely stored deep underground in geologic saline formations. This approach allows the aviation sector to address emissions that cannot be captured at the source, aligning with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommendations for carbon removal to achieve net-zero targets.

Furthermore, the Direct Air Carbon Capture technology serves as a crucial element in the production of next-generation Sustainable Aviation Fuels. It facilitates the capture of CO2 from the atmosphere for use in innovative fuel production technologies like Power-to-Liquid or Sun-to-Liquid.

The Airbus carbon-removal initiative, in collaboration with 1PointFive, involves the pre-purchase of 400,000 tonnes of CO2 removal credits over four years. This initiative is part of Airbus’s broader efforts to work with leading organizations to develop practical pathways to meet global climate targets.

The Lufthansa Group has set ambitious climate protection goals, aiming for a neutral CO2 balance by 2050. By 2030, the group plans to halve its net CO2 emissions compared to 2019 through reduction and compensation measures. The Science Based Targets initiative has validated the reduction share of the 2030 target. The group’s commitment to sustainability involves accelerated fleet modernization, the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, optimization of flight operations, and initiatives for private and corporate customers to make air travel more sustainable. The group actively supports global climate and weather research and is rated positively by independent organizations for its commitment to sustainability, surpassing industry averages.

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