Environmental Impacts of Switching to Batteries for Electric Propulsion

Jet fuel in aviation is a serious problem because it emits carbon and other Greenhouse Gases (GHG) into the atmosphere. These emissions are toxic to the environment and contribute to global warming of the Earth’s atmosphere. Aviation’s emissions make up for about 2.5% of global emissions is approximately 1.3 billion tons of carbon emissions. A method to solve this problem is the introduction of electric propulsion in aviation which would reduce emissions in addition to other solutions to aim for the goal of Net Zero Emissions by 2050 in aviation. The benefit of using all-electric propulsion includes, but not limited to, high propulsive efficiency, less complex engine design, zero emissions, compared to traditional aircraft. This solution, however, could have both positive and negative impacts on the environment. The production and use of batteries begs the question as to if it indeed “greener” for the environment. This research suggests that society should fully consider and weigh the impacts of this solution.