U.K. airline EasyJet is trialing a new lightweight paint on its planes that reduces both the weight and fuel burned, the company announced in a press release. The new paint reduces each plane's weight by 27 kilograms (60 pounds), which will reduce EasyJet's fuel use per year by 1,296 metric tonnes (1,429 tons) once the entire fleet has been repainted by the end of 2030.
EasyJet developed the new paint system with its partner of 15-plus years, Mankiewicz Aviation Coatings. The new paint will be applied at MAAS Aviation in Dublin.
What makes the paint more lightweight is its unique color composition. Its formulation was created to reduce the paint film build, which in turn reduces the weight of the finished coating.
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Using cleaner fuel ⛽ At the time of the January 3 announcement, EasyJet had already repainted 38 of its jets and was the first airline in the world to trial the new paint solution. The company also said this is the first of many strategies it will be trying out to reduce its carbon footprint.
"EasyJet is constantly exploring and developing innovative solutions to lower the impact of our operations," said EasyJet director of sustainability Lahiru Ranasinghe. "While this forms a small part of a bigger strategy, formulating a new lightweight paint with our partners at Mankiewicz Aviation Coatings exemplifies how we're assessing every single part of our operation to find efficiency gains to help us achieve this mission."
EasyJet launched a business plan two years ago, which it calls a "roadmap to net zero." Plans to reach this goal will include fleet renewal, airspace modernization, and a rollout of its multimillion-pound Descent Profile Optimisation software — which will already reduce the company's carbon footprint by 88,600 metric tonnes (97,665 tons) of carbon dioxide annually.
Eco-friendly travelers already know that flying, especially domestic flights, is the mode of transportation with the highest carbon footprint. If the aviation industry can reduce its roughly 1 billion tonnes of emissions yearly, it could have a big impact on our planet.
EasyJet can add its name to a list of other transportation companies looking to take charge with eco-friendly initiatives, including Subaru, BMW, and Kia. MAAS Aviation Chief Commercial Officer Richard Marston also agrees: "We are very proud to be part of such a groundbreaking initiative."
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