Electrified Airplanes: A Path to Zero-Emission Air Travel

The aeronautics industry has been challenged on many fronts to increase flight efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and decrease dependence on traditional hydrocarbon fuels. Each year, aviation produces more than 900 million metric tons of CO₂, which, without new interventions in policy, technology, and business practices, will further increase alongside the growing air transport market. Currently, aviation accounts for 4.8% of U.S. contributions to CO₂ emissions, and the global aviation industry constitutes about 2% of all human-induced CO₂ emissions. While this contribution may appear to be small when compared to other sources, it is likely to become more prominent in the years to come.