CO2 emissions come from a wide variety of sources. How to reduce them is obvious in some cases – such as by driving electric cars – but very difficult in others, such as the emissions from aircraft. Aviation accounts for 3.5 to 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In the European Union, it is about 4%.
Researchers in Norway focused on how to reduce emissions from regional flights. These smaller planes could make use of hybrid aircraft engines. These combine an electric motor and a combustion engine to drive propellers. Such a propulsion system could reduce emissions by 30%. The reduction comes about the same way as it does in hybrid cars.
Electrification of aircraft propulsion is a real challenge. Batteries for electric engines weigh more than aircraft fuel and the longer the flight, the more batteries a plane needs to carry. But smaller planes flying shorter routes could make use of a hybrid system.
However, suitable hybrid aircraft engines don’t already exist. A fair amount of work is needed, including developing better aircraft propellers, gearboxes between the electric engine and combustion engines, and various energy management and distribution systems. Norway’s SINTEF research center and multiple companies and laboratories are collaborating on development work for hybrid aircraft technology.
There are numerous sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the world and while the largest ones are the most crucial to drastically reduce, the others cannot be ignored. In many cases, including aviation emissions, they have actually been increasing over time.
