By Marius van der Hama

As of 2022, air travel carbon emissions reached an estimated 800 Mt or 2% of the global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. And while this was approximately 80% of the pre-pandemic levels, increasing demand for aviation services – projected to grow at between 2% and 5% by 2050 – will ultimately drive up the quantity of carbon emissions generated by the airline industry.

However, this adverse trajectory can be averted. By ramping up innovative aircraft technologies, “streamlining” flight operations and increasing the production and use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), airlines can reduce the generation of carbon emissions by the quantities required to achieve Net Zero earlier than the 2050 target.

At Air France, we have taken the prerogative to accelerate our impact in this regard. For instance, we are continually upgrading our fleets to modern technologies, which generate much lower emissions. As of 2025, we will have added 38 Airbus A350s to our long-haul fleet and 60 Airbus A220s on our short and medium-haul fleet, replacing the A318 and A319 fleets. The new-generation aircraft produce 20% to 25% less carbon emissions, and their noise footprint has been reduced by a significant 40%. They also consume significantly lesser fuel. The aircraft on our fleet currently consume an average of 3.3 litres per passenger/100km.  In comparison, the A350 consumes nearly 25% less at 2.5 litres per passenger/100km. This is as the A220 expends 2.6 litres per passenger/100km, thanks to the incorporation of close to 40% lighter materials (lithium aluminium and composite materials) in its construction.

Yet flight renewal is only part of our multi-pronged strategy to reduce the carbon footprint of our airline. We are also pioneering the transition to SAFs, which will be the main lever for decarbonising air transport in coming years. Produced from non-fossil fuel sources, the SAFs selected by Air France reduce carbon emissions by at least 75% over the entire life cycle, and can be used today without any modification to aircraft and flight operations. As part of the supportive ecosystem, we have engaged our customers to support the accelerated adoption of SAFs through a subscription option that allows them to voluntarily contribute during ticketing a fee to facilitate the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) in our flights, including cargo hauls. Customers are free to choose their level of investment, with a guarantee that their contribution will be exclusively used to purchase SAFs, cleaner alternatives to conventional jet fuel.

Meanwhile, we also run arrangements that favor low-carbon alternatives on shorter journeys, and more energy-efficient flights on longer journeys, helping our customers to minimise the overall carbon footprint of their trips. For example, in France, we have over the last 25 years offered a service that allows our customers to combine train and air travel in the same reservation, with guaranteed connections. This ‘intermodiality’ option is popular with customers travelling to and from Paris-Charles de Gaulle and the Paris-Orly airports, with more than 160,000 travellers using it every year. 

Finally, from an operational standpoint, we are implementing eco-piloting techniques that significantly reduce aircraft fuel consumption. For instance, our pilots are trained to use single-engine taxiing, saving up to 700kg of fuel per departure and arrival for the Airbus A350. They also leverage AI-powered tools to optimize flight trajectories for fuel efficiency. Moreover, pilots can use bridge electricity instead of the aircraft’s auxiliary power unit (APU) before engine start-up, further reducing fuel usage.

All the aforementioned efforts align with Air France’s commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility through prudent energy management and deliberate emissions reduction. By implementing innovative aircraft technologies, including the adoption of fuel-efficient aircraft, and investing in alternative fuels, as well as business practices that are considerate of our energy usage and waste production, Air France continues to set a benchmark for the aviation industry.  

The writer is the General Manager for East, Southern, Nigeria, and Ghana at Air France-KLM. 

Africa Data Centres and DPA SA have broken ground on their solar farm in the Free State; The first phase will see power getting wheeled to its CPT1 facility; The second phase will see power being supplied to JHB1 and JHB2 once wheeling agreements with relevant municipalities conclude. 

Africa Data Centres, a business of the Cassava Technologies group, is pleased to announce that it has broken ground on the construction of a solar farm in the Free State in collaboration with DPA Southern Africa.

This announcement forms a crucial component of the 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) inked in March 2023 with DPA Southern Africa a joint company of the French utility, EDF. The objective of the Free State farm is to furnish renewable energy to Africa Data Centres sites, commencing with its cutting-edge, carrier-neutral data centre in Cape Town, the CPT1 facility.

According to Cassava Technologies’ President and Group CEO, Hardy Pemhiwa, “This initiative positions Africa Data Centres as a trailblaser in the data centre industry in responding to South Africa’s energy crisis through sustainable technology solutions. This is in line with a broader industry shift towards innovative, eco-friendly practices. The strategic use of solar power showcases technology’s role in pioneering solutions for energy challenges and environmental sustainability”.

Furthermore, Tesh Durvasula, CEO of Africa Data Centres, underscores the commitment to powering all data centres with clean, renewable energy sources. “Today’s announcement represents a significant stride in our initiative to energise South African data centres sustainably, advancing our objective of achieving carbon neutrality. The first phase involves constructing the 12MW solar infrastructure to power our Cape Town data centre, with subsequent phases extending to our Johannesburg data centres.”

Nawfal El Fadil, the CEO of DPA SA, states, “Africa Data Centres, as a pioneer in the data centre industry, has consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainability, aligning seamlessly with our company’s values. We are thrilled and honoured to contribute to Africa Data Centres’ mission of achieving carbon neutrality, beginning with the establishment of this solar power plant in the Free State to serve their data centre in Cape Town. At the heart of our collaboration lies a shared understanding that the path to carbon neutrality extends beyond infrastructure—it demands innovation, expertise, and collective determination to overcome challenges. DPA SA, backed by EDF’s legacy, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in delivering high-quality, sustainable energy solutions to this partnership.”

“We take immense pride in supporting Africa Data Centres on this journey, being among the pioneers in launching a wheeling solar plant, thereby paving the way for a greener, more sustainable future in South Africa,” adds Nawfal El Fadil.

This project is a key element of Africa Data Centres’ ambitious plans to emerge as the most sustainable colocation provider on the continent. “Beyond procuring renewable energy, our commitment to an efficiency strategy has earned us the internationally recognised ISO50001 certification for the effective operation of our data centres,” Durvasula elaborates.

“Data centres worldwide face scrutiny for their reliance on grid power and renewables, and Africa is no exception. Africa Data Centres is actively addressing this issue by generating renewable energy, alleviating strain on the local grid. Additionally, our sustainability objectives encompass achieving net-zero status at all facilities, making this project another significant stride towards reaching that goal,” concludes Durvasula.

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The Open Skies Fellowship in Rwanda effectively trained and chose 15 fellows through two cohorts. In March 2022, the initial cohort’s selection took place at our partner hub, IDA Technology, resulting in the selection of 10 fellows with promising projects. The workshop’s goal was to empower young local experts in cutting-edge technologies, providing them with the knowledge, resources, and skills necessary to transform their ideas from concept to prototype and eventually to market. Following the successful implementation of the first cohort’s projects, Open Skies organized another one-week workshop using the same process, leading to the selection of 5 fellows with outstanding projects for the second cohort. All these fellows were given mentorship and technology loans to support their project’s needs throughout the implementation.

IoT-BASED PROJECTS

In an era where technology continues to shape our daily lives, the Internet of Things (IoT) based devices have emerged as a powerful force in addressing and resolving societal challenges. These innovative devices created by our fellows interconnected through the vast network of the internet, have proven to be useful in finding effective solutions to some of our most pressing issues.

8 fellows worked on IoT-based projects where they came up with devices designed to solve challenges in their community.

Starting with Gasana Junior, He designed his E-Home project as a smart house to improve the quality of life for the aging population and individuals with disabilities. This encompassed features like automated lighting, ventilation, doors, and a crucial focus on security. The field that best captures his project is known as the “Internet of Things, or IoT, which describes devices with sensors, processing ability, software, and other technologies to connect and exchange data between devices and systems using the Internet.

Joselyne Nisingizwe designed the Murinzi Quick Box as an Internet of Things (IoT) device resembling a box filled with protective items such as pads and condoms, along with essential sexual, reproductive, and health information. It is deployed in small communities to provide accessibility to people with disabilities, allowing them to access these resources and report instances of violence conveniently.

Aimable Rubagumya developed a smart poultry farming solution, an innovative approach that harnesses advanced technologies to enhance poultry production. His creation is an Internet of Things (IoT) based system that enables farmers to monitor their coops by collecting data on temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and dust. This system offers real-time notifications via Short Message Service (SMS) on both offline and online phones, as well as through email, to alert farmers when the hens’ conditions deteriorate, ultimately resulting in increased productivity.

Joyeuse Nishimwe’s idea was simple but involved complex skills using IoT devices. She designed smart beehive technology that allows a beekeeper to receive all the analyzed information related to their beads inside the hive at regular intervals and with the help of digital messaging systems (both via email and via phone).

For example, when the temperature decreases to the extent that bees cannot produce honey, a beekeeper will be notified and apply a normal heating method before bees start to leave. Data for each beehive is collected and presented in such a way that beekeepers can view the conditions of each hive, wherever they are, in real time.

Patrick Kubwimana created an IoT helmet for monitoring the health of people working in mines and underground tunnels. Smart helmets enhance miner safety by integrating sensors, including temperature, humidity, carbon monoxide, and heart rate, onto their helmets. These sensors, particularly the DHT11 which measures both temperature and humidity, provide early warnings for potential dangers such as explosions, flooding, and gas presence in mines.

Noella Abayisenga envisioned a device she calls Handtek, which is essentially a scanner built to check the sanitation status of one’s hands. The goal now is to help eradicate foodborne illness and maintain people’s hygiene through washing hands properly to avoid the spread of microbes. The device utilizes sensors, including a temperature sensor and light motion sensor, along with an ESP 8266 board that does a quick five-second scan and provides feedback. The system employs blue light along with an artificial intelligence system powered by TensorFlow and OpenCV, to analyze captured images.

Vicky Uwase created the Jambo Water Leakage Detection System (WLDS). This is a water leak and pipe burst detection system that will help people to monitor and notify water loss which leads to excessive expenses caused by leakage or frozen pipes. This system monitors the way water flows and if any leakage or pipe burst is detected it immediately sends a warning notification to a linked user’s smartphone or maintenance teams in charge. Jambo WLDS can also detect the temperature inside a pipe so it can notify the user or the technical team in case the temperature increases or drastically decreases within a pipe.

Kevine Giramata created a ‘’Safe baby app’’ whose system, based on IoT, employs sensors to monitor baby movements and activities, providing real-time information to parents. It assesses the baby’s well-being using humidity and temperature sensors. With machine learning, it can detect abnormal conditions and send timely notifications, either through SMS or a mobile app, addressing the challenge parents face with continuous child monitoring. The system is also trained to identify and alert parents to suspicious activities.

BUSINESS-RELATED PROJECT

Emmanuel embarked on a mission to build a cost-effective and widely accessible radio station that utilized his community’s available resources. By proposing innovative antenna construction methods, such as mounting on rooftops with materials like cement blocks, he aims to overcome geographical constraints and address frequency-related issues caused by increasing building structures. Beyond improved accessibility, the project seeks to inspire the younger generation, fostering critical thinking and intellectual growth. Building a radio station in his village was a commitment to community empowerment, youth inspiration, and contributing to societal well-being, marking a path for growth and development in Rwanda’s landscape.

VIRTUAL REALITY PROJECT

Babu Kamanzi as an advocate of virtual reality in education, Babu created a curriculum that can be integrated into VR sets with the purpose of enhancing the education system and classroom engagements of students in Rwanda. He gives the example of medical students, who instead of learning heart surgeries on real patients, can train on virtual patients with realistic simulations. Giving users the chance to practice and develop skills without real-world risks is one of the biggest advantages of VR solutions, and Babu hopes the adoption of VR and other emerging technologies in Rwandan high schools will help students learn in new and exciting ways.

CLIMATE CHANGE PROJECTS

Determined to make a difference, Zipora Shimwa decided to take matters into her own hands and embarked on a journey to revolutionize the way people cooked in her community. The result was a Smart Solar Thermal Cooking System (SSTCS) that would harness the power of the sun to provide a sustainable and efficient cooking solution. The SSTCS is an innovative cooking system with six key components: solar collectors, thermal energy storage, a smart control unit, an evacuated tube, a solar tracker, and a stove. Its high-efficiency solar collectors capture sunlight to ensure optimal performance, even on cloudy days. The thermal energy storage system enables uninterrupted cooking during low solar radiation periods, enhancing reliability.

Janviere Ingabire worked on a project called Home Cooking Gas Security, which aims to create an IoT device equipped to detect gas leaks, encompassing aspects such as gas type, sensor specifications, measurement range, alarm mechanisms, output control, response time, and operating temperatures (-10 to +55 Celsius). Crucially, the device not only identifies gas leakage but also takes preventive action by automatically blocking the gas supply before an accident can occur.

Denise Byukusenge Noticing the power challenges in certain regions of Rwanda, including her province, where access to large-scale hydroelectric power is limited and even simple tasks like getting a haircut require expensive transportation, Denise came up with solutions for those living far from electrical networks and facing economic hardships. She developed a project focused on generating energy from sustainable biogas, specifically derived from cow dung and toilet waste. With the goal of providing electricity access to individuals in her community.

A Geographic Information System (GIS) project

Evelyne Iradukunda her Campus Navigation System aims to empower students by providing a portable solution for seamless campus navigation. Utilizing ArcGIS, Evelyne converted the data into comprehensive maps, including class locations. This information was then transformed into shape files and integrated into code using Visual Studio Code with Leaflet. The Campus Navigation System aims to empower students by providing a portable solution for seamless campus navigation. Through a user-friendly digital interface with detailed maps, it addresses the challenges of being late to class and finding exam venues, showcasing the convergence of land surveying and technology to solve practical issues for students on campus.

Rwanda is referred to as the leading African country when it comes to technology, which is why it was easy for the project to be implemented in two cohorts in the country. Furthermore, Rwanda has been actively fostering a conducive environment for technology and innovation. There’s a growing ecosystem of tech startups, hubs, and initiatives, indicating a commitment to technological advancement. With this being said, the program has been successful as some fellows have been funded to further their projects and turned their business ideas into businesses, and others have acquired scholarships that will help develop their projects.

Also Read: How Congolese Youth Are Using Technology to Make a Difference