Technological, economic and environmental prospects of all-electric aircraft

Schafer, AW; Barrett, SRH; Doyme, K; Dray, LM; Gnadt, AR; Self, R; O'Sullivan, A; Synodinos, AP; Torija Martinez, AJ

Abstract

Ever since the Wright brothers’ first powered flight in 1903, commercial aircraft have relied on liquid hydrocarbon fuels. However,
the need for greenhouse gas emission reductions along with recent progress in battery technology for automobiles has generated
strong interest in electric propulsion in aviation. This Analysis provides a first-order assessment of the energy, economic
and environmental implications of all-electric aircraft. We show that batteries with significantly higher specific energy and
lower cost, coupled with further reductions of costs and CO2 intensity of electricity, are necessary for exploiting the full range
of economic and environmental benefits provided by all-electric aircraft. A global fleet of all-electric aircraft serving all flights
up to a distance of 400–600 nautical miles (741–1,111 km) would demand an equivalent of 0.6–1.7% of worldwide electricity
consumption in 2015. Although lifecycle CO2 emissions of all-electric aircraft depend on the power generation mix, all direct
combustion emissions and thus direct air pollutants and direct non-CO2 warming impacts would be eliminated.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 1, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Dec 10, 2018
• Publication Date: Feb 1, 2019
• Deposit Date: Dec 2, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 2, 2019
• Journal: Nature Energy
• Electronic ISSN: 2058-7546
• Publisher: Nature Research
• Volume: 4
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 160-166
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41560-018-0294-x
• Publisher URL: https://doi-org.salford.idm.oclc.org/10.1038/s41560-018-0294-x
• Related Public URLs: https://www-nature-com.salford.idm.oclc.org/
• Additional Information: Additional Information : First assessment of the energy, economic and environmental implications of all-electric aircraft, which discusses highly relevant aspects for decarbonisation of transport. High impact journal. Disseminated in Press Media (e.g. https://www.vox.com/2019/3/1/18241489/electric-batteries-aircraft-climate-change, https://singularityhub.com/2018/12/16/will-electric-planes-ever-happen-heres-an-update-on-their-status/); Funders : Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC);National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship; Projects : AIRPORT CAPACITY CONSEQUENCES LEVERAGING AVIATION INTEGRATED MODELLING (ACCLAIM);SYSTEMS ASPECTS OF ELECTRIC COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT (SAECA); Grant Number: EP/M026868/1; Grant Number: Institutional Sponsorship Award - EPSRC; Grant Number: EP/P511262/1; Grant Number: grant number 1122374