Flying is the most climate-unfriendly mode of transportation, yet demand for air travel is projected to continue to increase. Airships powered by a skin of thin, flexible solar cells and highly efficient, lightweight batteries could move people and freight across oceans at much lower cost and climate impact than conventional aviation. An airship could carry a 10-ton battery and be covered with 7 tons of flexible solar cells – capable of providing enough energy for long-haul routes such as between London and New York. The cells would provide the power to propel the airship, as well as recharge the battery to keep the ship aloft at night. The climate impact of each kilometer a person travels by solar airship would be about 5% of that involved in a conventional airplane flight. Flight time increases by a factor of about three for mid-haul flights and six for long-haul flights compared to conventional aviation, but this speed should be fine for freight transport and is faster than sending freight by sea.
www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2023/05/solar-powered-airships-could-help-climate-friendly-air-travel-get-off-the-ground/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=solar-powered-airships-could-help-climate-friendly-air-travel-get-off-the-ground