Originally Posted by
polax52
Aviation will become Green and sustainable given reasonable time but stopping flying is clearly not the solution. Investment is the solution.
Aviation is unlikely ever to become green and sustainable. Discussed ad nauseam in these other threads:
Electric Powered Aircraft
Extinction Rebellion are threatening to shut down Heathrow Airport with drones
Perhaps aviation biggest challenge....
Summary:
- Hydrocarbons are miracle fuels, batteries will never match them for energy density
- (side note Even if battery technology advances, the more energy density you put into them, the more risk of catastrophic failure - think 777 LiPo problems)
- Electric powered aircraft may work for very short hops or trainers
- The sheer quantity of fuel required means that bio-kerosene is not viable
- Aircraft efficiency - we've picked all the low hanging fruit, big 10%+ gains eg high bypass etc. Now we're looking at marginal few percent gains here and there. Efficiency very unlikely to radically increase.
- The best jet efficiency we're getting is with a full O'Leary - and that's only as good as everyone in that jet getting in their own private car and driving there. Hardly outstanding.
- Aviation CO2 emissions are approx 3% of global total, but the problem is the rapid growth and the fact that, as above, it's hard to see how you replace Jet-A1
- Although it's "only" 3% that does not absolve the industry from doing anything about it. Your personal emissions are tiny in a global perspective. Does that mean everyone should do nothing?
- The argument about whether CO2 is causing global warming is over. The question is now what are we going to do about it.
- Shutting down Heathrow with drones is a bl**dy stupid idea, but you can see their point of view because nothing else seems to have an effect.
No-one wants to see the industry decline or to be out of a job. But it cannot continue like this. We need to get our heads out of the sand and accept that.