Solar-Powered Airships Might Be The Zero-Emissions Future Of Aviation
Old dog, new tricks.
The aviation industry catches a lot of flack for being a big polluter, and it isn’t undeserved! In 2018 alone, the global aviation industry emitted an enormous 1.04 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide. That is the equivalent weight of 2740 Empire State Buildings, or 2.5% of global carbon dioxide emissions. With an international climate apocalypse looming on the horizon, there is a desperate scramble to decarbonise this industry. As a result, everything from carbon-neutral bio-jet fuel to hydrogen jets and even battery-electric planes is being developed. But a recent study suggests that maybe planes are the wrong way to go. They found that solar-powered airships could cut aviation’s emissions by 95%! But how? And are these old-school visions of the future able to replace the globetrotting jet?
In this study, researchers envisioned a solar-powered airship of the same shape, size, and design as the LZ 129, also known as the Hindenburg. If that name rings a bell, it was the world’s largest-ever airship that famously burst into flames in 1937. However, this more modern version is simulated using up-to-date, lighter, and safer materials.
This virtual airship is also equipped with a ten-tonne battery, and the top of the blimp is covered in seven tonnes…
