The Council of the European Union agreed to extend the Clean Sky Joint Technology Initiative (JTI) within the EU Horizon 2020 Framework Programme at its meeting yesterday. Clean Sky 2 will involve investing nearly €4 bn in breakthrough aviation technology research. The EU will invest €1.75 bn€ in the Clean Sky 2 under Horizon 2020 building on its investment of €0.8 bn to date under the Seventh Framework Programme. Participants will contribute approximately €2.2 bn to Clean Sky 2 bringing the total investment effort close to a total of 4 bn€. This will enable CO2, NOx and noise emissions to be reduced by at least 20 to 30 % compared to the current state-of-the-art: meeting society’s needs and increasing the global competitiveness of the aeronautics industry in Europe and its supply chain.
Clean Sky 2 research will run until 2024 and will culminate in major integration, demonstration and validation activities. The new programme will be the EU’s centrepiece aeronautics research programme and will be leveraged by further research activities funded at national and regional level and by large private investments. Clean Sky 2 will be a major enabler to fully realise the ambitious environmental targets set by the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE) for 2020, to which the current Clean Sky initiative is already strongly contributing.
By endorsing Clean Sky 2 the Council of the European Union has given the green light to the next generation of innovative aircraft which will deliver on the challenges faced in mobility, environment and competitiveness.
Eric Dautriat, Executive Director of the Clean Sky Joint Undertaking, commented: “Based on the successful Clean Sky experience to date, Clean Sky 2 is well positioned to become a force in shaping innovation for aviation in the decade to come. The entire aeronautics supply chain will benefit: SMEs, research organisations, universities and industry”.