Lilium achieves first main wing transition for all-electric aircraft [video]

Re:Lilium achieves first main wing transition for all-electr... by jeffbee on Sunday June 12, 2022 @12:10PM (#31715585)

Yeah they are, and this fact is just overlooked by people who aren't thinking through the implications of abundant renewable energy. With a surplus of renewable energy it makes much more sense to manufacture synthetic liquid fuels and burn them, than it does to power airplanes with batteries. The energy cycle is grossly inefficient but nobody is going to care because the energy inputs will be nearly cost-free.

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Re:Lilium achieves first main wing transition for all-electr... by frosted-flakes on Sunday June 12, 2022 @05:18PM (#31718370)

I had that thought recently. Renewable energy sources like wind need a lot of energy storage. That is, unless you over-provision them so much that they can always meet demand even at peak times. This leaves you with over-production at other times, which could be used for other purposes that don't need to run continuously: synthetic jet fuel production, water desalination, etc.

Basically, overprovision and then set electricity rates based on demand, and the renewable energy "storage problem" might just sort itself out. Of course, all those windmills and solar panels will cost an awful lot, so it might not be as simple as "overprovisioning".

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Re:Lilium achieves first main wing transition for all-electr... by Sebb767 on Sunday June 12, 2022 @06:47PM (#31718988)

> That is, unless you over-provision them so much that they can always meet demand even at peak times.

Overprovisioning solar to power the grid on ice cold, windless new moon night is going to be hard. Having somewhere to put excess energy and some overprovisioning is always good, but it won't solve all storage problems.

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Re:Lilium achieves first main wing transition for all-electr... by aftbit on Sunday June 12, 2022 @08:45PM (#31719738)

If we can build a superconducting grid, we can transport power from the parts of the planet where it is sunny or windy to the parts where it isn't. Assuming that everyone remains friendly and operational, that is.

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Re:Lilium achieves first main wing transition for all-electr... by zbrozek on Sunday June 12, 2022 @06:02PM (#31718702)

CAISO hits about 100gCO2e/KWh during the day. And I run a solar surplus that I don't put back on the grid.

I'd be really happy if there were a good way for me to turn excess electricity into something I could use later. Maybe that's hydrogen. Maybe that's capturing carbon and putting it into liquid fuels. Maybe that's creating graphite that I can use for fun personal projects.

But regardless, I don't expect grid electricity prices to fall. Probably not in the US. Definitely not in CA.

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