A new whitepaper co-authored by the World Economic Forum and McKinsey states that in order to transition aviation to carbon-free fuels by 2050, up to 1,700 terawatt hours (TWh) of clean energy may be needed. This is equivalent to the power generated by 10 to 25 of the world's largest wind farms or a solar farm half the size of Belgium.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), aviation is responsible for more than 2% of worldwide energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. Furthermore, it has experienced a quicker growth rate than road, rail, or maritime transportation. In 2021, the IEA revealed that aviation emissions had rebounded after being disrupted by pandemic lockdowns in 2020, regaining a third of the reduction it had experienced that year.
According to the IEA's net-zero emissions by 2050 scenario (NZE), emissions from aviation are expected to continue to increase until the end of the decade. This increase will primarily be due to the growth in emissions from international flights. Meanwhile, it is anticipated that emissions from domestic flights will level off.
Key Takeaways
- Migrating to carbon-neutral aviation such as battery-electric and hydrogen flights could require up to 1,700TWh of clean energy by 2050.
This is the equivalent of 10-25 of the world’s largest wind farms today – or a solar plant half the size of Belgium. - Large investments are needed – and soon – to adapt the airport infrastructure for new value chains around electric and hydrogen flights.
To learn about the challenges decarbonization poses for the aviation industry read the full article on the World Economic Forum website.