The aviation industry is turning to electricity to power the planes of the future. Promising silent, emission-free air travel. But will electric planes take off, or are they destined to crash and burn?
The Solar Impulse (pictured below) is an aircraft that is powered entirely by solar energy and was designed to showcase the potential of renewable energy in aviation. It has a single-seat cockpit and a wingspan of 72 meters, covered in over 17,000 solar cells that provide power to four electric motors.
In 2016, the Solar Impulse completed an around-the-world flight, setting multiple world records for solar-powered flight in the process. It is capable of flying both day and night and can remain airborne for up to 36 hours. The Solar Impulse serves as a powerful symbol of the possibilities of renewable energy in aviation and has inspired further research and development in this field.
The pursuit of clean air travel has become an area of mutual interest for both the airline industry and its passengers, admittedly, for different reasons. For consumers, electric planes represent the promise of silent, green air travel that is both better for the environment and more pleasant for passengers. Meanwhile, for the airlines, the shift towards electric planes is driven by a desire to lower costs and improve fuel efficiency, ultimately leading to improved profitability.
So if the airlines are pushing for all-electric fleets, why don’t we see them in the skies?
First, we’ll take a look at the promises of electric air travel, and then highlight some of the issues that may show why this technology’s liftoff may be a turbulent one.
Environmental benefits: Electric planes produce no emissions during flight, which makes them a much cleaner and more environmentally-friendly option than traditional aircraft. This would help to reduce the carbon footprint of the aviation industry, which is currently a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions.
Noise reduction: Electric planes are much quieter than traditional aircraft, which could reduce noise pollution in the areas surrounding airports. This could be a particularly nice benefit for people who live near airports and are impacted by noise pollution from planes taking off and landing.
Lower operating costs: Electric planes have fewer moving parts than traditional aircraft, which means that they require less maintenance and have lower operating costs. Additionally, the cost of electricity is typically lower than the cost of aviation fuel, which could make electric planes more cost-effective in the long run.
New opportunities for innovation: The development of electric planes has the potential to drive innovation in the aviation industry. This could lead to new technologies and designs that could make air travel more efficient, more affordable, and more sustainable.
Overall, the potential benefits of electric planes are significant, and they could play an important role in reducing the environmental impact of the aviation industry while also improving the efficiency and affordability of air travel.
However, there are still significant challenges that need to be overcome to make electric planes a viable option for commercial air travel.
Limited range: The limited range of electric planes is a major challenge to overcome. Currently, most electric planes can only travel short distances, which makes them unsuitable for long-haul flights. This currently limits their potential use in the aviation industry.
Solution: Improve the energy efficiency of electric planes. For example, researchers are working on developing more aerodynamic designs for electric planes that could reduce the amount of energy needed to fly. Additionally, advancements in battery technology will also help to increase the range of electric planes.
Currently, electric planes are being designed for short-haul flights where their limited range is less of a concern. Short-haul flights are typically less than 500 miles, which is well within the range of many electric planes. By focusing on short-haul flights, electric planes could help to reduce emissions in a significant portion of the aviation industry.
Limited capacity: Electric planes are still in the early stages of development, and the technology is not yet advanced enough to support large, passenger-carrying aircraft. This could limit the potential of electric planes for commercial air travel.
Solution: Focus on developing electric planes for smaller, regional routes. US-based electric aircraft company, Eviation, is focusing on this issue by connecting smaller cities and towns that are not currently served by commercial airlines. By focusing on these smaller routes, electric planes could help to reduce emissions and improve connectivity in regions that are currently underserved by traditional airlines.
Another potential solution is to use electric planes for small cargo transport. Electric planes could be particularly well-suited for transporting time-sensitive goods. By using electric planes for cargo transport, emissions from the aviation industry could be reduced without sacrificing efficiency.
Energy source: While electric planes themselves produce no emissions, the source of the electricity they use could still have an environmental impact. If the electricity comes from non-renewable sources such as coal or natural gas, then the environmental benefits of electric planes may be limited. However, if the electricity comes from renewable sources such as wind or solar power, then the environmental benefits of electric planes could be much greater.
Solution: Develop a system of renewable energy sources specifically for electric planes. For example, solar panels could be installed at airports to power charging stations for electric planes. This would ensure that the electricity used to power the planes is sourced from renewable energy.
Infrastructure: Electric planes require a different type of infrastructure than traditional aircraft. This includes charging stations and battery storage facilities. Developing this infrastructure could be expensive and time-consuming.
Solution: Develop a network of charging stations specifically for electric planes. This would require significant investment in infrastructure, but it would be necessary to support the widespread adoption of electric planes. Additionally, battery storage facilities would be needed to store the large batteries used in electric planes when they are not in use.
Battery technology: The batteries used in electric planes are heavy and require a lot of space. This can limit the potential range and capacity of electric planes. Additionally, battery technology is still evolving, and it is unclear whether future advancements will be able to overcome these limitations.
Solution: Develop lighter and more efficient batteries specifically for electric planes. This is undoubtedly the toughest challenge to solve. Researchers are working on new battery technologies that could improve the energy density and reduce the weight of batteries, which would increase the range and capacity of electric planes. Additionally, advancements in battery technology could also help to reduce the cost of electric planes, which would make them more competitive with traditional aircraft.
It's important to note that electric plane technology is still in the early stages and many of these challenges may not be overcome for many years as the technology advances.
That being said, many airlines are bullish on electrification. United Airlines has said that they are planning to incorporate electric planes into their fleet by 2030. Air Canada has also made significant investments as they plan to electrify their fleet in the future.
What do you think, are electric planes the future?
Would you purchase a ticket on an electric plane for your next holiday?
Let us know in the comments below.
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