The PACIFIC Hop-On project will advance understanding of aviation’s non-CO₂ climate impacts by integrating the Cyprus Institute’s Earth System Modelling expertise into the ongoing Horizon Europe PACIFIC consortium.
The Cyprus Institute’s Climate and Atmosphere Research Centre (CARE-C) has joined the Horizon Europe research project “Particle emissions, Air Quality and Climate Impact related to Fuel Composition and Engine Cycle” (PACIFIC), led by Airbus. The project focuses on improving understanding of how aviation non-CO₂ emissions affect air quality and climate, particularly as Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs) become more widely used.
PACIFIC aims to address existing knowledge gaps related to aviation non-CO₂ emissions by testing a wide range of fuels under controlled conditions. The project will investigate how soot particles form during fuel combustion, analyse the quantity of fine particles emitted under different engine operating conditions, and assess how these particles contribute to cloud and ice crystal formation in the atmosphere.
Within the project, CARE-C will leverage its Earth system modelling expertise and particle formation pathways from participation in the CERN CLOUD experiment to model how aircraft emissions form particles that influence cloud formation and global climate. The project will also evaluate the broader climate impacts of aviation emissions and support improved assessment methods for future aviation fuel-related policies and regulations.
By combining expertise from industry, academia, and research organisations, PACIFIC aims to support the development of more sustainable aviation technologies and fuel strategies, contributing to efforts to reduce the climate and air quality impacts of air transport.
The consortium brings together 11 partners from across Europe, including Airbus, Rolls-Royce Deutschland, Rolls-Royce PLC, Neste OYJ, the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, the University of Helsinki, Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Sheffield, ERDYN Consultants SAS. The Cyprus Institute is joining the consortium after submitting a successful competitive Hop-on proposal.