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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Indian Express or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: SiriNor, an aerospace startup operating between India and Norway, has successfully completed ground tests of its all-electric, zero-emission jet engine in Pune, India
• The engine surpassed its design targets, achieving over 40,000 RPM and 10 kgf thrust, and has been validated at Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL 6) under NASA’s framework — a major step toward commercialising clean aviation technologies
🔭 The context: While aviation contributes approximately 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions, efforts to reduce the sector’s environmental impact have struggled to keep pace with its rapid growth
• SiriNor, founded by Abhijeet Inamdar and Ivar Aune, joins a growing cohort of innovators pursuing fossil-free flight through alternative propulsion technologies
• Their engine, compatible with electric batteries and hydrogen fuel cells, eliminates combustion chambers and reduces manufacturing and maintenance costs by 30–40%
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Electrifying aviation could substantially cut greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in sectors like UAVs, regional aircraft, and air taxis
• SiriNor’s scalable propulsion system offers a pathway to lower the environmental footprint of a fast-expanding industry, with the potential to displace fossil fuel reliance across multiple airborne platforms
• However, full-scale deployment will require overcoming technical certification, supply chain, and infrastructure challenges
⏭️ What's next: SiriNor plans to commercialise its UAV engines by mid-2026 and aims for certification of larger platforms such as seaplanes and regional aircraft by 2027 and 2030
• The startup is also securing strategic manufacturing partnerships across Indian cities like Pune, Bangalore, Coimbatore, and Hyderabad to support its global ambitions in the $100+ billion jet engine market.
💬 One quote: “If it flies, we have a green solution for it.” — Abhijeet Inamdar, Co-founder and CEO of SiriNor
📈 One stat: By 2025, aviation is projected to account for about 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions, underscoring the urgency of innovation in the sector (European Aviation Environmental Report)
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