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Given that flights are one of the leading sources of CO2 pollution, maybe this would finally be something where terrorists made a service to humankind. (I am n
by js8 10y ago
Given that flights are one of the leading sources of CO2 pollution, maybe this would finally be something where terrorists made a service to humankind.
(I am not being against technology, I just believe that modern humans can live perfectly well with flying much, much less.)
- Inconel 10y agoI'm not knowledgable about this subject but do you have any sources for that? After some quick Googling the best numbers I could find state that air travel is responsible for somewhere between 2%-4% of all human induced CO2 emissions and somewhere around 12%-15% of the emissions from transport sources.
- panzer_wyrm 10y agoThose percentages have outsized impact because you are emitting them very high. So while they contribute to 4% of emissions, they may as well contribute to 8% of global warming. We don't reduce emissions just because. We want to stop the climate change. We should just optimize the planes. I do hope that in 10 years batteries will be good enough for electric fan engines.
- robin_reala 10y agoThe problem with electric aircraft is a bit like a mini Tsiolkovsky rocket equation. In a conventional aircraft fuel is burnt off as it flies causing it to lighten and become more fuel efficient as it travels. With battery aircraft this doesn’t happen so you need more batteries upfront to travel the distance.
- mathw 10y agoBatteries do get lighter as they discharge! Just not by enough to matter.
- robin_reala 10y agoOK, if we’re being pedantic ;) This SE answer puts the difference between a fully charged and fully discharged Chevy Volt at half a microgram: https://physics.stackexchange.com/a/34424/134467 https://physics.stackexchange.com/a/34424/134467
- sangnoir 10y agoAdditionally, the energy density of batteries is nowhere near that of Jet A/A-1.
- lordelph 10y agoCaptain: "Scotty, we need more lift!" Scotty: "We're giving it all she's got. If I eject the empty batteries we might just lose enough mass, but I cannae guarantee it" Captain: "Do it, do it, do it!" Scotty: "Aye, captain!"