Life cycle assessment of eVTOL vehicles in island systems. Case study: Canary Islands
Néstor Velaz-Acera, Dánae Arcauz-Durán, David Borge-Díez
Abstract
The growing concern about global warming highlights the need to develop new solutions to reduce emissions associated with the transportation sector. The aeronautical sector, due to its characteristics, is one of the most complex to decarbonize. The present research focuses on a life cycle analysis of the application of eVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-off and Landing) vehicles in island systems. Island systems, such as the Canary Islands, offer an ideal framework in the early stages of application of the technology, since they have orographic characteristics and population distribution within the range of autonomy of eVTOL vehicles, offering the population the possibility of accessing a new service, faster, more agile and efficient than the current transport models. To evaluate the environmental impact, a double comparison is proposed. On the one hand, a comparison between configurations and alternative propulsion systems such as batteries and fuel cells. On the other hand, a comparison is proposed at two levels, intra and inter-island, to exploit all the possibilities of integration of this type of aircraft. One of the most relevant aspects considered are the emissions associated with the charging itself, which is especially relevant in isolated systems with a high penetration rate of renewable energies. It is estimated that throughout the useful life of these aircraft and based on an established flight mission profile, the reduction of CO2 equivalent emissions is up to 50% in the intra-island area compared to conventional means of transport, while for inter-island travel, emissions are reduced by up to 45%.