Air travel contributes significantly to the warming of our planet. Each flight releases a significant amount of carbon pollution – a seat on a long haul flight can generate more carbon emissions than a person generates annually in some countries!

Airline manufacturers must find ways to dramatically reduce flight emissions if they are to last. The current pandemic has demonstrated the vulnerability of the industry to global reactions to existential threats. While not as immediate as COVID-19, our climate crisis is an even larger threat, and once humanity truly understands the impact of air travel on the crisis, there will be a similar, perhaps more sustained avoidance of air travel.

This, of course, could be mitigated by a shift to fossil-fuel-free transport and attention to the carbon pollution footprint of the entire process – manufacturing, fuel generation, and the actual travel. As we’re seeing with ground transportation, hope comes in the form of electrification – a shift to electric propulsion (battery or fuel-cell electric drivetrains). 

In this Aviation International News article, Airbus sees hydrogen as a pathway to zero-emissions flight. Of course, this makes ‘planet-sense’ only if the hydrogen is ‘green’ (not sourced from hydrocarbons). Green hydrogen can be generated from renewable energy sources. 

Why not plain and simple batteries?

Batteries offer some utility in small aircraft. We’ve seen reports of companies that are delivering small planes that might travel 100 miles on a charge. For instance, Cessna’s eCaravan is capable of hauling 9 passengers for about 100 miles. However, for the large planes that are used for traditional commercial flights, batteries are currently too large and heavy. While a fuel-cell electric drivetrain also requires a battery, the overall system has a weight advantage.

We’re still a long way from fossil-fuel-free commercial air travel. However, with focus and investment, we should see innovations in battery storage, fuel-cell, and hydrogen production that may make it possible to fly on renewable energy. Until then, we can fly only when absolutely necessary and mitigate the flight emissions with a carbon offset.