In an effort to find solutions to the issue of climate change, the global aerospace industry is on the cusp of a major structural change driven by new standards aimed at making the industry carbon neutral by 2050. But what about Quebec?

We spoke with engineer Dr Nabil R. Saad, Ph.D, an expert in and Senior Business Advisor for the aerospace sector at Inno-centre.

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1. At the recent Paris Air Show, the federal government announced $350 million to "decarbonize" the industry. How can we move toward a sustainable aerospace industry?

The aerospace sector is responsible for about 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions. If no corrective action is taken, aviation emissions could triple by the end of the decade.

The federal Minister of Transport has adopted an action plan, a strategy to achieve carbon neutrality in the industry by 2050. A Strategic Fund provides $1.75 billion to move toward a sustainable aerospace industry, particularly through electric or hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion as well as other alternative propulsion modes, such as green hydrogen and sustainable alternative fuels (SAF).

2. What role will Quebec companies play in the race to innovate in the decarbonization of the global aerospace industry?

For a number of years now in Quebec, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for aircraft and engine as well as SMEs have been actively working with government and university research centres to accelerate research and the maturation of a variety of highly promising technologies. The Consortium for Aerospace Research and Innovation in Quebec (CRIAQ*) is one such player.

3. What role does green hydrogen play in the new energy context?

Green hydrogen is based on the electrolysis of water. Its production requires around 40 megawatt-hours of electricity to transform 9 metric tons of water into one metric ton of hydrogen. This hydrogen is “green” because the electricity comes from dams, wind turbines and solar panels. Thanks to our wealth of hydroelectricity, we can produce it with a cost-effective approach, but we must first develop aircraft engines for this type of propulsion. Then, we need to equip airports with the infrastructure capable of powering the new aircrafts with green hydrogen.

4. Could you give us an example of an aerospace decarbonization initiative carried out by an innovative company supported by Inno-centre?

One example is our work with Limosa, the first Canadian company to offer an all-electric 10- to 19-seat aircraft, which is remarkably eco-friendly and more economical than current means of air transport (see photo).

Limosa brings together experts in aircraft design and structural analysis, aerodynamics, propulsion systems, flight controls and avionics. These engineers have designed an electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL) and have conducted flight tests using a reduced-scale prototype.

We advise Limosa on the preparation of a business plan that includes market intelligence, financial projections, and marketing strategies so that the company can obtain government and private financial support.

Above all, Inno-centre’s contribution is to ensure that the aircraft is built using the best practices for full-scale flight testing. Our support extends right through to the certification, the industrialization and the commercial launch of the aircraft.

5. Inno-centre brings together advisors from the aerospace sector, including yourself. As an expert, what is your approach with the clients?

Our primary mission is to accelerate the business performance of SMEs by providing customized support and business advice. This enables them to create value and achieve their desired performance objectives while meeting environmental and quality standards, without losing sight of revenue and profitability, which are of course the ultimate goal of any business.

While the business performance of SMEs in the aerospace sector remains at the heart of our initiatives, we have the added challenge of helping to strengthen the competitive power of Canadian industry, since this market is of a global reach more than others.

To stay in the race, SMEs in Quebec and Canada must be able to meet the supply needs of aircraft OEMs such as Bombardier, Airbus and Boeing as well as engine manufacturers such as Pratt & Whitney, General Electric and Rolls Royce. In other words, our SMEs are in direct competition with established companies around the world, which often possess high technological capabilities and advanced production capacities.

Inno-centre approach is not simply to examine company performance indicators, we also work with SMEs to help them migrate toward a business model in line with the industry standards and requirements as they apply now and in the future.

In our aerospace cluster, ranked third worldwide after those of Seattle and Toulouse, we are working with Quebec SMEs to help them transition from suppliers of parts and components (tiers 3 and 4) to integrators (tier 2). This would make them capable of supplying turnkey assemblies and sub-assemblies to OEMs (tier 1). This high value-added approach increases the competitiveness of our SMEs within the aerospace value chain on an international scale.

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THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY IN NUMBERS

In 2022, the aerospace sector provided 212,000 highly skilled jobs, an increase of 14,400 jobs (6.7%) compared to 2021.

This industry contributed nearly $27 billion to the country’s GDP, an increase of $1.8 billion over 2021.

Canada’s aerospace manufacturing industry generated exports worth almost $18.7 billion in 2022.

*CRIAQ has set itself apart through its mission to bring together players in the industry and conducting aerospace research in Quebec.

It manages a $350 million project portfolio for three-year projects in the exploration phase, in the maturation phase, or requiring innovation support. This parapublic corporation has 164 members (120 enterprises, 35 research centres and 9 associate members). Its Scientific Committee issues annual calls for projects.

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