Hybrid propulsion for regional aircraft: A comparative analysis based on energy efficiency

This article assesses the potential benefits of transient energy storage for a hybrid regional aircraft. The mission profile of a reference aircraft is analyzed according to energetic intermittence and the results are compared to typical figures for cars, trains, and ships. Also, the opportunity of recovering energy in descent and during landing is studied. This article shows that energy saving potential brought by transient energy storage is much smaller than for ground-based transportation. In addition, energy recovering does not bring benefit on a hybrid aircraft in normal operation. Nevertheless, the best energy management strategies in descent are highlighted and the use of a hybrid propulsion system in this phase shows significant potential energy savings. Finally, the article addresses other strategies enabled by hybrid propulsion to improve the aircraft energy efficiency.