Planemaker Produces Ethanol-Powered Ipanema Cropduster

Brazilian planemaker Embraer announced this week the creation of the Environmental Strategies and Technologies Office, for the purpose of integrating and expanding the company’s environmental policies and achieving new levels of sustainable development.

"There is a growing concern, within Embraer, regarding environmental issues, and this is reflected in the products developed by the company, as well as in the environmental policies that are established," said Frederico Fleury Curado, Embraer President and CEO. "The creation of this new office is one more important step toward coordinating efforts for Embraer’s sustainable development, respecting the environment."

The aim of the Environmental Strategies and Technologies Office is to develop specific environmental protection policies. The goal is to support Embraer in establishing strategies for reducing the environmental impact of its manufactured products and production processes, as well as those of suppliers and customers.

"The responsibilities of the new executive include following up, on a global scale, the evolution of the environmental issue, thus assisting the company in its search for alternative materials and technologies that have less impact on the environment," said Satoshi Yokota, Executive Vice President, Strategic Planning and Technology Development, who will head the office.

In addition, Graciliano Campos has been named Director, Environmental Strategies and Technologies, reporting to Yokota.

Embraer was the first manufacturer in the aeronautics industry to obtain ISO 14001 certification, in 2002, attesting to the company’s best environmental practices. Embraer recently hired a consulting firm to perform an inventory of all the manufacturing plants in Brazil, in terms of CO2 emissions, in order to guide the company’s actions for expanding its environmental policies.

"At Embraer we experience constant challenges, and maintaining sustainable growth is, undoubtedly, one of the most important at the present time," said Campos. "We will review our strategies, in order to deal with current and future issues, minimizing the company’s environmental impact, thus contributing to worldwide efforts to lessen greenhouse gas emissions and global warming."

Embraer notes it has an established record in environmental awareness. For example, its E-Jets family incorporates design features that maximize efficiency and keep emission levels well under the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The larger Embraer 190 and 195 sport aerodynamic improvements leading to a three percent decrease in fuel burn.

In the search for alternative fuels, Embraer is the first aerospace manufacturer to certify an airplane powered by alcohol -- in this case ethanol derived from sugar cane. In 2004, the Embraer 202 Ipanema (right) cropduster became the first series aircraft in the world to leave the factory certified to fly with this type of fuel, which Embraer notes is three to four times cheaper than avgas.

Furthermore, Embraer notes alcohol-powered airplane engines are cleaner and pollute less than aviation gasoline, because, among other things, ethanol has a neutral balance of carbon emissions in its life cycle and has no lead in its composition, making the fuel ecologically correct.

Embraer significantly expanded its actions for protecting and preserving the environment in 2006. The company’s recycling program, which began in 1998, has been making substantial gains, in terms of efficiency. Since 2000, the recycling volume has grown 52.9%, to the current 79.6% of waste produced, such as wood, plastic, Styrofoam, paper, cardboard, and cooking oil. The remaining 20.4% represent materials which, for the time being, are considered to be non-recyclable.

FMI: www.embraer.com