Sustainable Aviation
GKN Aerospace Advances Hybrid-Electric Aviation with EU SWITCH Project
GKN’s high-voltage EWIS system enables 75% lower climate impact for hybrid-electric aircraft, backed by EU’s €1.7B Clean Aviation initiative.
GKN Aerospace Delivers High-Voltage EWIS for SWITCH Project: A Leap Toward Sustainable Aviation
The aviation industry stands at a critical juncture, facing mounting pressure to reduce its environmental footprint while maintaining operational efficiency and safety. In this context, the recent delivery of a high-voltage Electrical Wiring Interconnection System (EWIS) by GKN Aerospace for the European Union’s Clean Aviation SWITCH project marks a significant technological and environmental milestone. This development supports the transition toward hybrid-electric propulsion, aligning with the EU’s broader goal of achieving climate-neutral aviation by 2050.
GKN’s EWIS, developed at its Papendrecht facility, is designed to transmit megawatt-class electrical power, a necessity for hybrid propulsion systems. The SWITCH project integrates dual-spool hybrid-electric architecture and water-enhanced turbofan (WET) technology, aiming to improve energy efficiency by 25% and reduce climate impact by 75% when using net-zero CO₂ sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). Backed by a €1.7 billion EU investment, this initiative is a cornerstone of Europe’s clean aviation roadmap.
Technological Innovations in High-Voltage EWIS
Next-Generation Materials and Design
GKN Aerospace’s EWIS incorporates several first-in-industry features that address the stringent requirements of hybrid-electric aircraft. The harness systems utilize graphene-doped insulation, which offers 30% better thermal conductivity compared to traditional PTFE materials. This improvement is crucial for maintaining system integrity in high-temperature zones near engines, where temperatures can exceed 300°C.
Another innovation lies in the use of shape-memory polymers for dynamic cable management. These materials allow conduits to auto-adjust in response to thermal expansion, ensuring consistent cable tension and reducing mechanical stress on connectors. Anti-vibration mounts further stabilize the system during high-G moments such as takeoff and climb.
On the monitoring front, each harness includes a distributed temperature sensing grid with over 1,000 fiber optic sensors. These sensors provide real-time thermal maps, enabling predictive maintenance and early detection of hotspots. Additionally, the system features partial discharge detection capable of identifying arc precursors at sensitivity levels below 10 picoCoulombs.
“Our Trollhättan test rig’s 20MW capacity enables simultaneous validation of thermal and electrical loads, a prerequisite for megawatt-class EWIS.” , Henrik Runnemalm, VP, GKN Aerospace
Challenges in Certification and Integration
Developing a high-voltage EWIS for aviation is not without its challenges. One of the primary hurdles is partial discharge mitigation. The system must handle sub-nanosecond voltage rise times, with dV/dt rates exceeding 10kV/μs. To combat this, GKN employs nitrogen-filled conduit cavities and self-healing dielectrics that can repair minor insulation breaches autonomously.
Thermal management is another critical area. The EWIS uses a two-phase evaporative cooling system capable of removing up to 5kW per meter of heat load. Directional heat pipes conduct up to 150W/cm² from high-current lugs, ensuring that thermal stresses do not compromise performance or safety.
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is addressed through triple-shielded twisted pairs and common-mode chokes. These components help achieve signal attenuation of up to 100dB at 1GHz and reduce leakage currents to below 1mA, which is essential for maintaining avionics reliability in megawatt-scale systems.
The SWITCH Project: Architecture and Industry Impact
Hybrid-Electric Propulsion System
The SWITCH project’s propulsion system integrates three key technologies: a dual-spool hybrid configuration, a water-enhanced turbofan (WET), and a high-voltage power distribution network. The high-pressure spool includes a 500kW derated motor generator, while the low-pressure spool features a 1MW primary motor. Together, these components support electric taxiing, takeoff boost, and waste heat recovery, capturing up to 40% of thermal energy from exhaust gases.
The WET system recycles up to 70% of combustion byproduct water, reinjecting it into the combustion chamber to cool the flame and reduce NOx emissions by 50%. Additionally, particle filtration within the WET architecture reduces contrail formation by 75%, addressing another significant contributor to aviation’s climate impact.
The electrical backbone operates at 1,200V DC, which is 50% lighter than equivalent AC systems. Solid-state protection mechanisms using silicon carbide (SiC) switches offer microsecond-range fault isolation, enhancing safety and reliability.
Performance Targets and Timeline
The SWITCH project is structured around a phased validation approach. Ground testing of the integrated EWIS began in 2025 at Collins Aerospace’s Grid facility. The project aims to achieve Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 for the WET engine and TRL 5 for the Electrical Aircraft Propulsion (EAP) system by 2025. Flight tests on modified Airbus A320neo platforms are planned for 2030, with entry into service for short- and medium-haul aircraft targeted for 2035.
Key performance metrics include a 25% improvement in fuel efficiency and a 75% reduction in climate impact when using net-zero CO₂ SAFs. These figures represent a significant leap from current baselines and position SWITCH as a leader in sustainable aviation innovation.
Such ambitious targets require robust cross-industry collaboration. Partners like MTU Aero Engines, Airbus, and Collins Aerospace contribute expertise in propulsion, integration, and power electronics, creating a synergistic environment for rapid technological advancement.
“SWITCH technologies could eliminate 850 million tons of CO₂ by 2050, equivalent to 2% of global aviation emissions.” , Sabine Klauke, CTO, Airbus
Conclusion: Toward a Climate-Neutral Future
The delivery of GKN Aerospace’s high-voltage EWIS for the SWITCH project is more than a technical achievement, it’s a roadmap toward climate-neutral aviation. By enabling megawatt-class power transmission with reduced weight and enhanced safety, this innovation supports the viability of hybrid-electric aircraft for commercial use by 2035.
However, the path forward is complex. Achieving net-zero aviation will require parallel developments in sustainable aviation fuels, hydrogen infrastructure, and recycling of high-voltage components. Continued collaboration between OEMs, regulators, and suppliers, supported by EU funding and international standards, will be essential to realizing these goals.
FAQ
What is EWIS and why is it important?
EWIS stands for Electrical Wiring Interconnection System. It is critical for power distribution, data transmission, and system control in aircraft. In hybrid-electric systems, EWIS must handle higher voltages and power levels, making innovation in this area essential for future aviation.
What makes GKN’s high-voltage EWIS unique?
GKN’s EWIS features graphene-doped insulation, shape-memory polymers, and advanced thermal and electromagnetic shielding. These innovations allow it to handle megawatt-class power while maintaining safety and reliability.
When will hybrid-electric aircraft using SWITCH technology enter service?
According to the SWITCH project timeline, hybrid-electric aircraft are expected to enter commercial service by 2035, with flight testing on modified Airbus A320neo platforms beginning in 2030.
Sources: GKN Aerospace, CORDIS, FAA, Airbus, Collins Aerospace, MTU Aero Engines, Pratt & Whitney Canada
Photo Credit:
Sustainable Aviation
SABA Members Back Infinium eSAF Facility With Long-Term Deals
Google, McKinsey, and others sign binding SAFc agreements to support Infinium Energy’s 100,000 MT/year Texas eSAF project.
Corporate members of the Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance (SABA) have signed binding, multi-year agreements to purchase sustainable aviation fuel certificates (SAFc) from Infinium Energy’s planned electro-sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) facility in Texas. The commitments, announced on September 22, 2026, are designed to provide the financial demand signals necessary for Infinium to reach a final investment decision on the project.
In a press release issued by SABA, the organization confirmed that American Airlines (AA) will serve as the physical offtaker for the fuel, managing logistics and delivery. The corporate buyers purchasing the associated certificates include AVEVA, Bain & Company, Google, and McKinsey & Company. The agreement marks the first time SABA’s procurement model has been utilized to directly drive new production capacity for scalable sustainable aviation fuel.
Project Atlas production and environmental targets
Infinium Energy was selected through a SABA procurement process earlier in 2026 to provide ultra-low carbon eSAF. The fuel is produced using waste carbon dioxide and renewable energy, distinguishing it from traditional biofuel pathways that rely on agricultural or waste feedstocks.
The planned Texas facility, designated Project Atlas, is expected to have an annual sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production capacity of 100,000 metric tons. According to the alliance, the contracted volumes will support an expected greenhouse gas abatement of 212,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (mtCO2e). SABA equates this emissions reduction to approximately 3,500 commercial flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
“We’re proud to partner with SABA members including AVEVA, Bain & Company, Google, McKinsey, and others, as well as American Airlines to bring Infinium Energy’s next world scale eSAF facility to life. Their commitment reflects a shared conviction that decarbonizing aviation requires real investment in next-generation supply,” said Robert Schuetzle, CEO of Infinium Energy.
Aggregating demand through book-and-claim
The transaction utilizes a book-and-claim model. Corporate buyers purchase the SAFc to claim the environmental benefits against their business travel emissions, while the physical fuel is delivered to partner airlines. This mechanism allows corporations to fund SAF production even when the physical fuel cannot be delivered directly to the airports their employees use.
American Airlines will manage the physical integration of the eSAF into the commercial aviation fuel supply chain. Jill Blickstein, Chief Sustainability Officer at American Airlines, stated that the corporate commitments broaden participation in the SAF market and demonstrate how customers can collaborate with airlines and fuel producers to advance decarbonization.
SABA, a joint initiative of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), the Center for Green Market Activation (GMA), and RMI, has aggregated $500 million in SAFc demand from 35 companies to date. Aviation currently accounts for approximately 2 to 3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
“Novel technologies are critical to meeting future demand for sustainable aviation fuel, but they will not be operational in time without investments made today. This procurement demonstrates how aggregated, long-term demand can help take promising eSAF projects from idea to reality,” said Jon Creyts, CEO of RMI.
AirPro News analysis
We view this agreement as a critical structural step for the eSAF market. Power-to-Liquid (PtL) fuels like those planned for Project Atlas face a steep commercialization barrier. They are highly capital-intensive to build and currently produce fuel at a significant cost premium compared to both conventional Jet A and HEFA-based SAF derived from waste fats and oils.
Airlines operate on thin margins and generally cannot absorb the full green premium of eSAF alone. By unbundling the environmental attributes from the physical fuel, the SABA model allows highly capitalized corporate entities like Google and McKinsey & Company to absorb that premium. More importantly, signing binding, multi-year offtake agreements provides the revenue certainty that infrastructure lenders require before financing first-of-a-kind industrial facilities. If Project Atlas reaches a positive final investment decision based on these contracts, it will validate the book-and-claim model as a viable financing mechanism for next-generation aerospace infrastructure.
Sources: Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance via PR Newswire
Photo Credit: Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance
Sustainable Aviation
EU Exceeds 2025 SAF Mandate at 2.79 Percent Blend Rate
EASA reports EU airports hit 2.79% SAF blend in 2025, surpassing the 2% ReFuelEU mandate with 1.1M tonnes supplied.
The European Union surpassed its initial Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) mandate in 2025, with SAF accounting for 2.79 percent of all jet fuel supplied to EU airports during the first mandatory reporting year.
According to the 2026 ReFuelEU Aviation Annual Technical Report published by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on September 17, 2026, fuel suppliers delivered 1.1 million tonnes of SAF against a total aviation fuel supply of 39.3 million tonnes. The 2.79 percent blend rate comfortably exceeded the 2 percent minimum required by the ReFuelEU regulation for 2025. This uptake resulted in an estimated reduction of 3.77 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent greenhouse gas emissions.
“We are pleased to confirm that the SAF mandate under ReFuelEU Aviation was not only met but exceeded,” EASA Executive Director Florian Guillermet stated in the agency’s press release.
Compliance and distribution across European hubs
The EASA report indicates high compliance rates across the sector. Ninety-three percent of aircraft operators and 90 percent of fuel suppliers fulfilled their reporting obligations in 2025. EASA noted that noncompliance among aircraft operators was primarily limited to small business jet operators, nonscheduled carriers, and third-country operators that failed to respond to competent authorities.
SAF distribution reached 121 Airports across all 27 Member States, representing 79 percent of all Union airports. Uptake was heavily concentrated at major European hubs. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) accounted for 29 percent of the tracked SAF supply, followed by Frankfurt Airport (FRA) at 8 percent and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) at 7 percent.
Supply chain dynamics and feedstock dependencies
While the headline blending figures demonstrate regulatory success, the technical report reveals a structural reliance on imported raw materials. Although 86 percent of the SAF supplied at EU airports was refined domestically within the European Union, 85 percent of the underlying feedstocks originated from outside the bloc.
The primary feedstock utilized was Used Cooking Oil (UCO) processed via the Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA) pathway. Of the imported feedstocks, 61 percent originated from China, with additional volumes sourced from Malaysia and Indonesia. On the refining side, Neste’s Rotterdam facility alone produced 33 percent of all European SAF in 2025.
AirPro News analysis
The successful implementation of the 2 percent mandate in 2025 proves that the logistical framework for SAF distribution at major European hubs is functional. However, the heavy reliance on Asian Used Cooking Oil presents a long-term vulnerability for European aviation. As the ReFuelEU mandate scales to 6 percent in 2030, the Regulations will also introduce sub-mandates for synthetic aviation fuels (e-fuels). With approximately 50 synthetic fuel projects awaiting final investment decisions and no large-scale e-fuel facilities currently operational in Europe, we anticipate significant capital mobilization will be required over the next 36 months to prevent future supply bottlenecks and reduce dependency on imported biomass.
Photo Credit: European Union Aviation Safety Agency
Sustainable Aviation
Montana Renewables Cuts SAF Expansion Cost to $137M
Calumet’s Montana Renewables targets 200M gallons of SAF annually by 2028 for $137M, down from a $1.2B plan.
Calumet, Inc. and its subsidiary Montana Renewables, LLC announced a revised expansion plan on September 1, 2026, that will scale SAF production to 200 million gallons annually by 2028 for a fraction of the originally projected cost.
By repurposing existing refining equipment at the Great Falls, Montana facility, the company expects to complete the MaxSAF project with only $137 million in remaining capital. This abandons a previous $1.2 billion megaproject design. The pivot eliminates the need for third-party equity and minimizes debt while accelerating domestic sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) capacity.
Capital efficiency and Department of Energy funding
The original Phase 2 plan contemplated $1.2 billion in capital expenditure. The revised strategy captures 70 percent of the expected benefit for 15 percent of the cost. The financial restructuring involves an amended Loan Guarantee Agreement (LGA) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
The original LGA was executed in January 2025, with a $782 million first tranche funded in February 2025 to recapitalize Montana Renewables, LLC (MRL). Under the amended agreement, the company will make a final draw of $34 million. This is significantly lower than the original $658 million Phase 2 DOE funding limit.
Calumet CEO Todd Borgmann stated the Office of Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) supported the adjustment to the loan agreement.
“Our amended agreement with the DOE facilitates innovative technology and domestic energy security at a fraction of the original cost. EDF’s willingness to right-size the LGA reflects its ongoing support for Montana’s largest agricultural investment. We look forward to our continued collaboration with the DOE on the success of this project,” Borgmann said.
Borgmann credited the company’s engineering and operational teams for developing a project that maximizes output while drastically reducing the required capital investment.
Production timeline and capacity milestones
The Great Falls facility currently operates at a 60 million gallon SAF run-rate following a spring 2026 constraint removal. A scheduled turnaround in the fourth quarter of 2026 will tie in repurposed equipment from the adjacent Calumet Montana Refining facility.
Following the fourth-quarter integration, the company expects to exceed an 80 million gallon SAF run-rate by December 31, 2026. Production is projected to surpass 120 million gallons by spring 2027 and reach the 200 million gallon target by December 31, 2028.
Total renewable product sales, including renewable diesel and renewable gasoline, are targeted at 17,000 barrels per day by year-end 2028. This represents a 40 percent expansion. The expanded facility will consume 2 billion pounds of ranch- and farm-originated feedstocks annually.
AirPro News analysis
The revised MaxSAF expansion highlights a strategic shift in how producers approach SAF scaling. As noted by Aviation Week on September 2, 2026, the plan allows the largest US producer of SAF to more than triple its production capacity for barely 10 percent of the originally planned investment.
During Calumet’s second-quarter 2026 earnings call on August 7, 2026, the company confirmed that Montana Renewables completed performance testing of the newly installed MaxSAF catalyst, which met or exceeded expectations. By leveraging existing fossil-fuel infrastructure rather than pursuing multi-billion-dollar greenfield projects, producers can bring SAF to market faster and with significantly lower financial risk. This capital-efficient model may set a precedent for other refiners looking to enter or expand in the renewable fuels sector without diluting equity or taking on unsustainable debt.
Sources: Calumet, Inc.
Photo Credit: Montana Renewables
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