The IBEFA vision Competency region for low emission aircraft engines Berlin-Brandenburg

The “Innovation Alliance for the Development of Low Emission Aircraft Engines“ (IBEFA) is pursuing the goal of establishing an internationally renowned competency region in Berlin and Brandenburg that develops new concepts for low emission aircraft engines and integrates, trails and tests these in specially designed aircraft. The use of highly efficient electronic systems in aircraft construction, specifically engines, opens the doors to a future with almost silent and low emission air traffic.

Aims of the IBEFA innovation alliance:

  • New collaborations between science and economics as well as a dialogue with social groups,
  • economic growth powered by new investment,
  • ensuring enough specialists are available and the creation of new job in the region,
  • growth of scientific resources as well as making the region more attractive to students, specialists and scientists,
  • making the region more attractive to investors,
  • specialised support for small and medium businesses, and
  • generation of third party funding for the region beyond the WIR! programme

Focus point: technological development

The potential for further development of current engines based on gas turbines is limited. Great effort is therefore required to create more innovative and more efficient drive solutions.

The future will need radical new architectures, particularly in combination with the development of electric drives and electrical storage, and investigations made into how these can work together with conventional generators (e.g. gas turbines, piston engines and fuel cells). The potential of advanced drive systems can only be exploited, however, once they have been integrated into new aircraft configuration with corresponding system architectures. Drive systems that are distributed and embedded into the airframe must not only ensure more efficient energy transformation and distribution, but also further optimise the integration of aircraft aerodynamics and generation of thrust. A multi-year development path with many intermediate steps, milestones, trial and test phases is necessary.

Delivery of the IBEFA concept phase by the BMBF

The various activities and projects were bundled together into an IBEFA conceptual plan between 1st April 2018 and 31st October 2018. The creation of this concept was funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research as part of the "WIR! - Wandel durch Innovation in der Region” programme.