3 ms·
> Decarbonizing short haul flights is great, but wouldn't trains be better suited for this purpose? Especially if you consider the extra infrastructure that nee
by pier25 4y ago
> Decarbonizing short haul flights is great, but wouldn't trains be better suited for this purpose? Especially if you consider the extra infrastructure that needs to be built at airports which will be served by these airships - concrete production also generates a lot of CO2...
In terms of infrastructure wouldn't building railways, rail stations, and trains use a lot more resources and time?
- TSiege 4y agoShort term vs long term. Trains will always be more energy efficient than planes. Once everything become electrified, we'll need to be smarter with what we use our energy for. Does it make sense to waste it on lifting something into the air or sailing it across metal?
- pier25 4y agoBut these are not really planes?
- throwaway894345 4y agoTerm length matters since we have only a few decades to decarbonize. Moreover, bouyancy doesn't require energy to generate lift, so you can't make a naive "is it more efficient to sail across metal or lift into the air" comparison.
- RugnirViking 4y agoI would be interested in an answer to your question because I suspect it may be less obvious than you think. It could go either way, especially given how rare airship handling equipment/staff is, not to mention helium gas & associated supply chain.