OK, we admit, we’re a long way from a carbon-free grid—but when we have one, what’s the most efficient way to use that energy to fly planes?
OK, we admit, we’re a long way from a carbon-free grid—but when we have one, what’s the most efficient way to use that energy to fly planes? This question is explored by an interactive tool built by a team of University of Michigan researchers.
“Aircraft provide a fantastic means to transport people and goods anywhere in the world within a day. We want to keep this capability, but with a lower climate impact,” said Joaquim Martins, the Pauline M. Sherman Collegiate Professor of Aerospace Engineering at U-M and co-author of the study published in Progress in Aerospace Sciences.
Sustainable aviation doesn’t have a silver bullet, but it does have a bunch of options. Battery-powered motors would be most efficient if it weren’t for the weight of the batteries: 85% of the electricity makes it to the aircraft.
Read More: University of Michigan
