The Allplane Podcast #140: electric aviation infrastructure w/Dr. Stefan Breunig (Albatross)
The path towards electric aviation is not an easy one. On this podcast we have talked on previous occasions about some of the challenges it faces, from getting batteries with enough energy density to setting up a supply chain from scratch.
One area we have so far - until now, at least! - paid little attention to is that of ground infrastructure.
Our guest for this episode, Dr. Stefan Breunig, is the co-founder and managing director of Albatross, a German company that is working precisely in this space.
The electric aviation revolution will need to get supplied by a reliable stream of green electricity, but it also represents an opportunity for airports and other players in the aviation ecosystem to develop new lines of business which stretch well beyond aviation.
Can airports become green electricity hubs? What are the challenges the industry faces on this front, in Germany and elsewhere?
Tune in for a fascinating conversation with one of Europe’s top electric aviation experts!
Things we talk about in this episode
Stefan’s professional background and his work across the electric propulsion industry
Why having the right infrastructure on the ground is key for the development of electric aviation
What was the original mission of Albatross and why the company pivoted shortly after
Can airports become green electricity hubs?
Which challenges faces the electric aviation industry in its rollout
Which are the most promising paths forward for the electric aviation industry
Resources
Dr. Stefan Breunig on Linkedin
The e-Fan and its remarkable Channel crossing (the joint electric aircraft project of Airbus and Siemens)
Aeroscopia, the aviation museum in Toulouse where the e-Fan is now exhibited
The Pipistrel Velis Electro and the podcast episode we did with Ivo Boscarol, the company’s founder
e-Flight challenge and the podcast episode we did with its promoter, Morell Westermann
Nuremberg Airport, which has a large photovoltaic installation
The vertical photovoltaic plant at Frankfurt Airport
The structure of electricity distribution in Germany
A map of the Holy Roman Empire, which, during our conversation, we compare to the electricity distribution structure in Germany
Some of the companies mentioned in this episode:
Magnus, the Hungarian aircraft maker
Rolls-Royce and when it decided to leave electric aviation
H55 and the podcast episode with its founder, André Borschberg
In the picture below, besides one of the chargers in Albtatross logo you can see a rendering of a Vaeridion microliner, which we talk about in our chat with Stefan. You can also listen to our podcast episode with Vaeridion founder and CEO Ivor van Dartel.
Podcast Music: Five Armies by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3762-five-armies
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Interview Transcript:
(please note that, although we strive to make it as close as possible to the original recording, the transcript may not be 100% accurate)
