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Ricardo – your partner for sustainability

Ricardo is a global strategic, environmental and engineering consultancy at the intersection of transport, energy and global climate agendas, solving the most complex issues to help achieve a safe and sustainable world. We shape the markets in which we operate through the delivery of solutions that are built on technological innovation that is sustainable.

We’re committed to helping aviation and defence stakeholders (including their supply chain and support services) to become more sustainable and build resilience in a changing world.

We support organisations across the globe from review and strategic planning right through to implementation and reporting. Our work with governments and policy makers around the world ensures a future-focused view and unique market insights.

Our technical teams include:

We draw on both our breadth and depth of expertise to provide holistic solutions for your products and services that are tailored to your organisation’s needs, ensuring you can achieve your sustainability goal in the most effective way.

Ricardo is helping to drive progress throughout the aviation industry

Policy expertise gained from advising the European Commission (EC) and governments around the world means Ricardo is uniquely placed to advise on regulation relating to climate change. As part of the guidance provided to the European Parliament, Ricardo experts produced a roadmap for achieving aviation Green Deal objectives by 2050 which projected the introduction and deployment of potential aircraft technologies and emission savings.

Ricardo studies supported most of the aviation-related policies proposed by the EC in the ‘Fit for 55’ package, including a study of taxation options for the fuel used on flights within the EU, and another assessing possible ways to implement a mandate for a minimum percentage of sustainable aviation fuel to be used in all EU airports.

The company also supports the EU Aviation Safety Agency in activities carried out by the International Civil Aviation Organisation’s working groups that assess potential changes in aircraft certification regulations.

Ricardo is also supporting the wider aviation sector, including government bodies and funding institutions around the world, as they seek to accelerate the production and use of sustainable aviation fuels, considering the full range of feedstocks and production processes to maximise the near-term potential for emissions reductions from the use of these advanced fuel options.

Creating net zero airports

On the airport side, a recent report with the Energy Institute showed, using life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis, how adopting different technologies to refuel aircraft could cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Case study: A global showcase for airport sustainability

The aviation industry has some significant challenges to achieve net zero. The UK Government’s Jet Zero Strategy has set a target for aviation to be net zero by 2050, with airport operations net zero by 2040 and zero carbon routes being trialled by 2030.

Farnborough Airport has been at the forefront of sustainability for many years and in 2018 became the first business aviation airport in the world to achieve carbon neutrality. One of the airport’s stated aims is to be a global showcase for airport sustainability and it was a natural progression for it to want to set industry standards in achieving net zero across its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. Ricardo have been working with the airport to help them to understand and review their energy use and emissions, to develop a baseline carbon footprint and a heat decarbonisation strategy. We worked with the airport to identify decarbonisation measures it could control or influence which we then developed into a net zero roadmap that it is now able to implement.

Our work has enabled Farnborough Airport to demonstrate:

  • To the market: the pro-active approach they are taking to decarbonise
  • To customers: that they are working to make flight more sustainable
  • To contractors on site: that they need to make change

Read the full case study

UK Government set out the ‘jet zero’ strategy that supports the aviation sector to be net jet zero by 2025, with sub-targets to make domestic flights and airports net zero by 2040. Ricardo is committed to help aviation stakeholders (including airlines, airports, ground operators and policy makers) across the world in achieving their trajectory towards net zero.

Find out more about the six key themes set out in this strategy

Ricardo can work with your organisation to accelerate your sustainability journey – find out how by emailing enquiry-ee@ricardo.com or visit our website for more information: https://www.ricardo.com