Ryanair has extended its partnership with Trinity College Dublin until 2030, with the airline making an additional €2.5 million (approximately $2.7 million) to the college’s sustainable aviation research centre project. Ryanair’s donations to the project now total €4 million ($4.3 million) since the project began in September 2021.
Since its beginnings, the research has focus on the sustainability of different types of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), reducing the cost of certification for new SAF candidates, and assessing the operational impact of zero-carbon aircraft propulsion and noise mapping.
Ryanair said in a statement: “Results of this research, which have been presented at the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, show that the emission intensity of a passenger travelling on a Boeing 737-800 NG flight from Amsterdam to Dublin can be reduced by 43% by using a 50% SAF blend.”
“Expanding out the research to better understand the non-CO2 impacts from aviation is an important next step to lead our industry towards more sustainable aviation,” said Ryanair director of sustainability Thomas Fowler.
Trinity College Dublin dean of research Sinead Ryan said: “Ryanair’s continued support will help to ensure ongoing and new research projects deliver a number of improvements and innovations, as well as supporting interactions with regulators, policy makers and aircraft manufacturers in the pursuit of more economically and environmentally sustainable commercial aviation.”
The research will likely play a pivotal role in Ryanair’s own sustainability targets of powering 12.5% of its flights with SAF by 2030, as well as reaching net zero by 2050.