The U.S. military looks at electrifying the sky
The Department of Defense is an enormous consumer of energy, using 73 million barrels of fuel annually. Airplane fuel is a huge part of that; it accounts for half the carbon footprint of the entire DoD. Yet the Department is also investing in some climate-friendly tech in the private sector.
Through the Defense Innovation Unit — a kind of Silicon Valley accelerator for commercial technology — the Air Force has a $131 million contract with electric aircraft company Joby Aviation. “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal tried out their minimalist-looking “air taxi” via a flight simulator.
This reporting is part of the latest season of Marketplace’s climate solutions podcast, “How We Survive.” This season is hosted by Ryssdal, a Navy veteran, and the series examines how the U.S. military is going to shape our climate future.
Click the media player above to hear this story. And listen and subscribe to “How We Survive” wherever you get your podcasts.