A group of 13 aviation research centres across Europe have signed a pledge to continue cooperation under the Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative, which started in 2008 under Framework 7.
The research centres, led by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), say that their collaboration and the matched funding they expect from the European Commission will result in €3.6 billion research spending on aviation. This includes in-kind contributions from industry, however.
The Clean Sky 2 Programme is expected to make European aviation more environmentally friendly and turn out more competitive technologies for international markets, said the DLR. This is in line with EU goals to achieve a 75-per-cent reduction in aviation emissions by 2050 compared to 2000 levels.
“The continuation of Clean Sky is an important step on the path towards a sustainable aviation sector with lower emission levels, less noise and greater efficiency,” said Rolf Henke, a member of the DLR executive board.
Clean Sky was launched in 2008 as one of five joint technology initiatives, in which the Commission provides matched funding for concerted industry efforts in research and innovation. The other four JTIs cover fuel cells, medicines, nanotechnologies, and embedded systems.