Lufthansa Group has joined Airbus’ initiative to address carbon emissions by adopting Direct Air Carbon Capture and Storage (DACCS) technology. A contract has been signed for the pre-purchase of 40,000 tonnes of CO2 removal credits from Airbus, to be issued through the Airbus Carbon Capture Offer (ACCO) service starting in 2026. The agreement involves an annual purchase of 10,000 tonnes of CO2 removal credits for four years.
DACCS technology involves the direct extraction of CO2 from the atmosphere using powerful fans, followed by underground storage in geologic saline formations. This approach allows the aviation industry to offset its emissions indirectly released into the atmosphere. In addition to ongoing efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, carbon removal is recognized as crucial for achieving net-zero targets, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
In its commitment to sustainability, the Lufthansa Group has set ambitious climate protection goals, striving for a neutral CO2 balance by 2050. By 2030, the group aims to reduce its net CO2 emissions by half compared to 2019 through a combination of reduction and compensation measures. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) validated the reduction component of the 2030 target in August 2022.
“The Lufthansa Group is strongly committed to making air transport more sustainable and to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050. This includes billion-euro investments in continuous fleet modernization and our strong commitment to Sustainable Aviation Fuels. Technical CO2 removal solutions like advanced and direct carbon capture and storage processes will play a complementary role in achieving our decarbonization goals”, says Caroline Drischel, Head of Corporate Responsibility at the Lufthansa Group.
“The Lufthansa Group was one of the very first aviation companies to work with Airbus to explore the potential of direct air carbon capture and storage solutions”, says Nicolas Chrétien, Head of Environment & Sustainability at Airbus. “As the aviation industry moves towards net zero CO2-emissions by 2050, carbon removal will play an important role in addressing remaining emissions. We are very pleased to go one step further with the Lufthansa Group and keep up the momentum to make decarbonized air travel a reality.”
