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  3. Flying still cheaper than trains on most EU routes, study finds

Flying still cheaper than trains on most EU routes, study finds

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  • D [email protected]
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    D This user is from outside of this forum
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    wrote last edited by
    #21

    No tax on airline fuel.

    J 1 Reply Last reply
    15
    • P [email protected]

      The costs of the platforms would significantly reduce the efficiency of the solar cells.

      My point is that planes have the advantage of not needing tracks which come with costs. There are the maintenance costs and the costs of not using them otherwise. We shouldn't be surprised if trains can't compete on many connections.

      G This user is from outside of this forum
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      wrote last edited by
      #22

      The amortized savings of having the tracks outweigh any opportunity costs introduced by the tracks taking up space.

      P 1 Reply Last reply
      3
      • P [email protected]

        There is also a hidden cost from the tracks.

        A rail track of 3m for 100km used for solar cells would generate enough electricity to transport 37500 passengers per plane.

        Solar cells generate 2kWp per 10 square meters, which are 2MWh per year which is 5kWh per day.

        300ksqm generate 150MWh per day.

        4l kerosine per pessenger per 100km are about 40kWh.

        150MWh are enough for 37500 passengers.

        It's not renewable but influences the economics.

        lime@feddit.nuL This user is from outside of this forum
        lime@feddit.nuL This user is from outside of this forum
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        wrote last edited by [email protected]
        #23

        rail track is one of the worst places you can put solar panels. pressure differentials, oil spills, hot metal, and you can't angle them which means they can never produce their peak efficiency.

        there is no reason to even consider ground-level solar until every rooftop and awning is covered.

        what are you trying to say?

        P 1 Reply Last reply
        7
        • P [email protected]

          You are right, I considered that.

          The average per year is calculated from that number by roughly multiplying with 10 in Europe. I have looked that up and not multiplied by hours in a year.

          lime@feddit.nuL This user is from outside of this forum
          lime@feddit.nuL This user is from outside of this forum
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          wrote last edited by
          #24

          is that for angled or horizontal?

          P 1 Reply Last reply
          1
          • lime@feddit.nuL [email protected]

            is that for angled or horizontal?

            P This user is from outside of this forum
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            wrote last edited by
            #25

            I don't know. I just picked the first number I got.

            lime@feddit.nuL 1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • lime@feddit.nuL [email protected]

              rail track is one of the worst places you can put solar panels. pressure differentials, oil spills, hot metal, and you can't angle them which means they can never produce their peak efficiency.

              there is no reason to even consider ground-level solar until every rooftop and awning is covered.

              what are you trying to say?

              P This user is from outside of this forum
              P This user is from outside of this forum
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              wrote last edited by
              #26

              The idea is to put them there instead of tracks and let people fly instead. The numbers suggest that that would be a net benefit.

              lime@feddit.nuL 1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • P [email protected]

                I don't know. I just picked the first number I got.

                lime@feddit.nuL This user is from outside of this forum
                lime@feddit.nuL This user is from outside of this forum
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                wrote last edited by
                #27

                right, so that's most likely optimal placement, with peak efficiency being reached for a little while each day as long as the weather is good. if they lie flat, you can lose as much as 90% of that energy, and that's still with proper maintenance. flat panels also don't self-clean, so maintenance would be even higher.

                basically, you can probably skip the multiplication altogether.

                P 1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • P [email protected]

                  There is also a hidden cost from the tracks.

                  A rail track of 3m for 100km used for solar cells would generate enough electricity to transport 37500 passengers per plane.

                  Solar cells generate 2kWp per 10 square meters, which are 2MWh per year which is 5kWh per day.

                  300ksqm generate 150MWh per day.

                  4l kerosine per pessenger per 100km are about 40kWh.

                  150MWh are enough for 37500 passengers.

                  It's not renewable but influences the economics.

                  S This user is from outside of this forum
                  S This user is from outside of this forum
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                  wrote last edited by
                  #28

                  That's the most idiotic calculation I've ever read since I came across the brain melting insanity of solar roadways

                  P 1 Reply Last reply
                  12
                  • P [email protected]

                    The idea is to put them there instead of tracks and let people fly instead. The numbers suggest that that would be a net benefit.

                    lime@feddit.nuL This user is from outside of this forum
                    lime@feddit.nuL This user is from outside of this forum
                    [email protected]
                    wrote last edited by
                    #29

                    but is that taking into calculation that avgas is not taxed while electricity is? is it taking into account the relative efficiency numbers of turbofans? is it taking into account the cumulative amount of time lost sitting at airports, which is usually not counted into travel time?

                    P 1 Reply Last reply
                    3
                    • G [email protected]

                      The amortized savings of having the tracks outweigh any opportunity costs introduced by the tracks taking up space.

                      P This user is from outside of this forum
                      P This user is from outside of this forum
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                      wrote last edited by
                      #30

                      Do you have any numbers?

                      G 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • P [email protected]

                        The costs of the platforms would significantly reduce the efficiency of the solar cells.

                        My point is that planes have the advantage of not needing tracks which come with costs. There are the maintenance costs and the costs of not using them otherwise. We shouldn't be surprised if trains can't compete on many connections.

                        lime@feddit.nuL This user is from outside of this forum
                        lime@feddit.nuL This user is from outside of this forum
                        [email protected]
                        wrote last edited by
                        #31

                        how high are the maintenance costs compared to airports?

                        P 1 Reply Last reply
                        4
                        • D [email protected]
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                          wrote last edited by
                          #32

                          You need a study to find out that? Lol

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • S [email protected]

                            That's the most idiotic calculation I've ever read since I came across the brain melting insanity of solar roadways

                            P This user is from outside of this forum
                            P This user is from outside of this forum
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                            wrote last edited by
                            #33

                            Could you explain why, please?

                            O 1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • P [email protected]

                              Could you explain why, please?

                              O This user is from outside of this forum
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                              wrote last edited by
                              #34

                              How many electrical planes have you seen?

                              captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.worksC P 2 Replies Last reply
                              7
                              • lime@feddit.nuL [email protected]

                                but is that taking into calculation that avgas is not taxed while electricity is? is it taking into account the relative efficiency numbers of turbofans? is it taking into account the cumulative amount of time lost sitting at airports, which is usually not counted into travel time?

                                P This user is from outside of this forum
                                P This user is from outside of this forum
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                                wrote last edited by
                                #35

                                There are reasons to go by train. My point is that trains are not naturally more efficient. It takes cheap electricity and high volumes of passengers to make it profitable. Of course fair taxes help but prices weren't part of my calculation. The energy used for tracks is already so big that many lines are better served by plane.

                                lime@feddit.nuL justas@sh.itjust.worksJ 2 Replies Last reply
                                0
                                • P [email protected]

                                  There are reasons to go by train. My point is that trains are not naturally more efficient. It takes cheap electricity and high volumes of passengers to make it profitable. Of course fair taxes help but prices weren't part of my calculation. The energy used for tracks is already so big that many lines are better served by plane.

                                  lime@feddit.nuL This user is from outside of this forum
                                  lime@feddit.nuL This user is from outside of this forum
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                                  wrote last edited by
                                  #36

                                  "the energy used for tracks"?

                                  P 1 Reply Last reply
                                  4
                                  • P [email protected]

                                    There are reasons to go by train. My point is that trains are not naturally more efficient. It takes cheap electricity and high volumes of passengers to make it profitable. Of course fair taxes help but prices weren't part of my calculation. The energy used for tracks is already so big that many lines are better served by plane.

                                    justas@sh.itjust.worksJ This user is from outside of this forum
                                    justas@sh.itjust.worksJ This user is from outside of this forum
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                                    wrote last edited by
                                    #37

                                    Can't wait to send 400000 tons of pig iron by a plane. You are missing the cargo trains (that mostly use the same tracks and are rail company's bread and butter) in your calculations.

                                    P 1 Reply Last reply
                                    4
                                    • O [email protected]

                                      How many electrical planes have you seen?

                                      captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.worksC This user is from outside of this forum
                                      captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.worksC This user is from outside of this forum
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                                      wrote last edited by
                                      #38

                                      Four. The only one I've seen with more than one seat had an endurance aloft of 50 minutes at 100 knots indicated.

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      4
                                      • D [email protected]
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                                        wrote last edited by
                                        #39

                                        Here's what we should do:

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                                        0
                                        • D [email protected]
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                                          L This user is from outside of this forum
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                                          wrote last edited by
                                          #40

                                          Here's what we should do:

                                          1 Reply Last reply
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