From the Wright brothers’ historic flight in 1903 to the development of supersonic aircraft, the history of aviation has been driven by technology and ambition.
Now, as the 21st century progresses, the sector continues to show its appetite for innovation and radical design.
Last September, for instance, a hydrogen fuel-cell plane capable of carrying passengers took to the skies over England for its maiden flight.
According to the International Energy Agency, carbon dioxide emissions from aviation “have risen rapidly over the past two decades,” hitting almost 1 gigatonne in 2019. This, it notes, equates to “about 2.8% of global CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion.”
Elsewhere, the World Wildlife Fund describes aviation as “one of the fastest-growing sources of the greenhouse gas emissions driving global climate change.” It adds that air travel is “currently the most carbon intensive activity an individual can make.”
A variety of solutions
In a phone interview, Iain Gray, director of aerospace at the U.K.’s Cranfield University, described zero carbon as “the top priority” for the industry, and he sought to emphasize the importance of developing a range of solutions to tackle the challenge.
“The really big technology driver is around the propulsion system,” he said, “but that doesn’t take away from the importance of new technologies around … new lightweight materials, enhanced carbon composite materials, and the systems itself.”