> Electric planes could recharge using solar or wind. As efficiency increases with these technologies, it would mean planes wouldn't require carrying the same watt-for-watt energy as fuel.
Those are pipe dreams :-)))
Solar recharging for electric cars is not realistic, let alone for electric planes.
Wind charger... maybe there's something there, but the fact that nobody has tried it probably means it's not good enough.
Planes have a much larger surface area to carry solar panels, and they fly above clouds, so have clearer access to sunlight than cars do.
Wind charging is more of a pipe dream, but there's no reason a plane couldn't glide for a period of time to get some energy back, similar to regenerative breaking.
There have been experiments in both areas, and while it's certainly unfeasible today for any large aircraft, the technology and efficiency will only improve. It would be wrong to discard these as an impossibility.
The concepts of potential energy and kinetic energy make the "wind charging" idea ... difficult.
The extra weight and structural challenges imposed by solar panels on aircraft don't seem worth it. The math on (174 sqft) * ideal theoretical power (250 W /m2) yields an optimistic ideal 4000 Watts. A conservative 75% power usage of a 172 engine is around 100kW. 4% under ideal circumstances.
Those are pipe dreams :-)))
Solar recharging for electric cars is not realistic, let alone for electric planes.
Wind charger... maybe there's something there, but the fact that nobody has tried it probably means it's not good enough.
https://www.arenaev.com/why_solar_panels_on_cars_are_beyond_...
> So under optimal conditions the Hyundai solar roof would yield 280kWh *yearly*. In London you'd get 164kWh.