Innovations

Fuel efficiency solution

Code

OT1.8

Title

Fuel efficiency solution

Case study/reference

About OptiClimb

OptiClimb is a service that aims at reducing the fuel consumption through the use of flight data. For each aircraft, data are used to build a fine tuned model that allows to optimize the climb phase. The fuel consumption is minimized by adapting the climb profile.

Key figures

Fuel consumption represents 30% of airlines operational costs
Almost 3% of global CO emissions are produced by air transport
The annualized passenger figure is expected to reach over 6 billion by 2030
Fuel consumption during climb is at its highest

How much fuel?

Climb phase is when the engines run close to full power. Reducing fuel consumption during this phase is a real opportunity. The observed fuel saving achieved with our method is around 10% of climb phase. For 100 flights a day on a single-aisle aircraft, this amounts to more than 15 t each day. At the end of the year, the savings are over 4M€.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLiP0Wl2Iqs

http://www.aircraftit.com/Operations/Vendors/Safety-Line/Modules/OptiClimb-fuel-efficiency.aspx

Recommendations for the design

Opti Climb would have to be adapted to work with engine management systems through their CANBUS systems to allow operators to monitor driver/ vehicle performance to maximise comfort and reduce fuel costs. This would require system designers to work with vehicle manufacturers and operators to ensure data requirements are understood to allow accurate reporting and management.

Recommendations for the implementation

The following issues should be considered before making recommendations:

Findings from feasibility study
Results from cost benefit analysis
SWOT results
Agree organisational structure
Agree Business Plan
Agree Time Plan
Agree Marketing Strategy
Agree Investment Strategy
Vision statement

The success of any new venture is dependent on buy in from stakeholders and informing customers of changes. People need to trust the motives for change.

Brief description

Opti Climb uses data produced from Aircraft systems to optimize the climb rate to conserve fuel consumption. The concept could be adopted to plug into vehicle CANBUS system and monitor acceleration, breaking, G forces etc to report driver behaviour and help reduce fuel consumption and aid passenger comfort.

Full description

Transport companies across the world are trying to reduce their costs and also reduce pollution. Adopting OPTI Climb to be used in PT sector could bring significant benefits towards achieving these aims.

CIPTEC score

3.8