Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

An aviation startup has completed what it calls the world's first hydrogen fuel cell-powered passenger aircraft flight

Happy Friday, and welcome to Insider <keyword id="6357014" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="energy">Energy</keyword>, a weekly energy newsletter brought to you by Business Insider. Here's what you need to know:<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Want to get Insider Energy in your inbox every Friday? <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/insider-energy">Sign up here</a>. </li><li>You can reach me at <a href="mailto:bjones@businessinsider.com">bjones@businessinsider.com</a>. I welcome feedback and story tips. </li><li>Save the date! We're hosting a virtual roundtable about building a <keyword id="154273" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="clean-energy">clean energy</keyword> economy on the morning of March 8. More on that below. </li></ul>It snowed a lot this week. My dog lost his mind. Now, like all good things, the snow has turned to brown slush. Also this week, several top oil companies reported earnings, giving us a more complete picture of the financial fallout from the pandemic. There were no major surprises, but the negative numbers are big. We'll get to that, but first: A look at an early winner of the <keyword id="169046" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="hydrogen">hydrogen</keyword> boom. <div type="image" title="ZeroAvia hydrogen-powered plane" height="2676" width="3568" msid="80712826" hostid="261"></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zeroavia-wins-amazon-shell-funding-transform-aviation-industry-hydrogen-2021-2">Hydrogen planes inch closer to reality with funding from Amazon, Shell, and Bill Gates' cleantech fund</a></h2>When hydrogen gas inside the Hindenburg exploded in 1937, the era of airship travel came to an end. Now the very same gas is reentering the aviation industry. And this time it's kicking off a new era - one of zero-carbon travel.This week: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zeroavia-wins-amazon-shell-funding-transform-aviation-industry-hydrogen-2021-2">I profiled ZeroAvia</a>, an ambitious startup working on hydrogen-powered aircraft. It recently raised money from huge names including Amazon, Shell Ventures, and Bill Gates' climate tech venture fund, Breakthrough Energy Ventures. <ul style="text-align: left;"><li>It's the first bet Amazon and BEV have made on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1">the promise of hydrogen gas</a>.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zeroavia-wins-amazon-shell-funding-transform-aviation-industry-hydrogen-2021-2">We chatted with ZeroAvia's founder</a> about how he convinced investors to bet on a risky tech, and why hydrogen is the aviation fuel to beat. Some experts say they agree. </li></ul>Hydrogen's moment: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/energy-experts-dish-on-what-to-expect-in-2021-2020-12#2021-will-be-a-huge-year-for-hydrogen-vcs-say-6">Is right now</a>. The gas is quickly building a reputation as a linchpin in the transition to cleaner energy, and investors are now looking for where to place their bets. Some aren't having much luck. <ul style="text-align: left;"><li>"We look aggressively," Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vinod-khosla-interview-strategy-for-investing-in-climate-tech-2020-12">told me last fall</a>. "We haven't found somebody with breakthrough technology. There's a lot of incremental technologies there, but nobody has a real breakthrough. If you find one, have them call me."</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/energy-experts-dish-on-what-to-expect-in-2021-2020-12#2021-will-be-a-huge-year-for-hydrogen-vcs-say-6">Investors we spoke to</a> say hydrogen used for aviation, heavy-duty vehicles, and industrial processes, such as steelmaking, is most promising. </li></ul><div type="image" title="Chevron gas station" height="1973" width="2630" msid="80712828" hostid="261"></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Big losses for Big Oil</h2>The results are in: Major oil companies, surprising no one, suffered steep financial losses in 2020. One big number: $56 billion<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>That's the combined full-year loss of five of the top companies including <keyword id="6383208" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="exxon">Exxon</keyword>, <keyword id="60772" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Chevron">Chevron</keyword>, BP, Shell, and ConocoPhillips. Exxon and Shell topped the list. </li><li>Last year, these firms earned about that same amount, combined. </li></ul>Only up to go? Probably, at least until demand for oil and gas begins a more permanent decline. <ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The price of oil is rising fast as demand notches up. Brent is trading at close to $60 a barrel, erasing year-over-year losses. </li><li>Companies spent 2020 lowering the cost of production, so they're positioned to succeed even if oil prices don't go much higher. </li><li>That's made <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bank-of-america-oil-researcher-energy-stocks-to-buy-top-picks-2021-1">some investors extremely bullish</a> on the traditional energy sector. Bank of America's chief oil researcher told us why he thinks oil and gas will have a good year and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bank-of-america-oil-researcher-energy-stocks-to-buy-top-picks-2021-1">shared 15 of his top picks</a>. </li></ul>But: We have a new president who's pushing clean energy and major companies are setting targets to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels. <ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The "decarbonization newsflow," as Goldman Sachs put it in a recent note, is souring investor sentiment in oil and gas companies.</li><li>Among the news that investors see as downside risk is litigation surrounding pipelines and GM's announcement that it will phase out gas-powered cars. </li><li>That's "widened the gap in sentiment between clean energy and traditional energy," Goldman Sachs analysts wrote. Residential solar is most in favor, they said.</li></ul>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/general-motors-11-top-executives-electric-vehicles-evs-mary-barra-2020-12">Meet the 11 top execs helping CEO Mary Barra make General Motors all-electric by 2035</a><div type="image" title="Exxon Baton Rouge refinery" height="3439" width="4586" msid="80712829" hostid="261"></div><h2 style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exxon-launches-business-focused-on-low-emissions-technologies-2021-2">Exxon doubles down on carbon capture but activist investors remain unsatisfied</a></h2>Exxon this week announced it was launching <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exxon-launches-business-focused-on-low-emissions-technologies-2021-2">a new business unit focused on low-carbon technologies</a>. (We've now updated <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exclusive-exxon-mobil-organizational-chart-of-top-executives-2021-1">our org chart</a> to include the new division.)What to know: The unit, which Exxon launched after investors pressed the company to move faster to address <keyword id="6361617" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="climate-change">climate change</keyword>, will initially focus on carbon capture and storage.<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>No surprises here: Exxon has been developing carbon capture projects for a while now.</li><li>The technology is attractive to oil companies in part because it doesn't require that they rewrite their business models and pump less crude from the ground.</li></ul>How investors responded: They were nonplussed. <ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A coalition of investors with over $2.2 trillion in assets <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/fr/news-release/2021/02/02/2168665/0/en/Coalition-United-for-a-Responsible-Exxon-CURE-Representing-Stakeholders-with-over-2-2-Trillion-in-Assets-Calls-for-New-Leadership-and-Strategy-at-Exxon.html">said</a> Exxon's plan to build out carbon capture capabilities isn't credible, pointing to a carbon-capture project that the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-12-07/exxon-s-xom-carbon-capture-project-stalled-by-covid-19">company delayed</a>. </li><li>Activist investor Engine No. 1 had a similar reaction: It's "poor long-term planning to rely almost exclusively on the idea that carbon capture will become scalable and affordable soon enough to allow for continued oil and gas production growth for decades to come under a Paris-compliant trajectory," the group said. </li><li>But investors aren't jumping ship: The company's stock is up 10% this week and 20% since the start of the year.</li></ul>What's more: Exxon also announced a new board member this week - Tan Sri Wan Zulkiflee Wan Ariffin, former CEO of the Malaysian state energy company Petronas. <ul style="text-align: left;"><li>A board shake-up is another demand from activist investors.</li><li>Hedge fund DE Shaw had been in talks with Exxon about making changes to its board, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-01/exxon-is-said-to-be-in-talks-with-d-e-shaw-over-new-directors">Bloomberg reported</a> ahead of the announcement. Engine No. 1 has also <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210127005274/en/Engine-No.-1-Formally-Nominates-Four-Director-Candidates-to-ExxonMobil-Board">launched</a> a campaign to elect four new directors. </li><li>On Thursday <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-04/exxon-mobil-is-said-to-consider-adding-jeff-ubben-to-board">Bloomberg reported</a> that the company is considering also appointing Jeff Ubben, who runs Inclusive Capital Partners, to the board.</li></ul><div type="image" title="WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES - 2018/03/04: Jennifer Granholm, Former Governor of Michigan, speaking at the AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) Policy Conference at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. (Photo by Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)" height="1333" width="1778" msid="80712832" hostid="261"></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">5 things in energy politics </h2><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Jennifer Granholm's nomination as Energy Secretary <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/overnights/537246-overnight-energy-senate-committee-advances-granholm">cleared a key Senate committee</a> and now advances to the full Senate, where she is expected to be confirmed.</li><li>A <a href="https://www.evergreenaction.com/policy-hub/evergreen-ces-report.pdf">new report</a> by left-leaning groups Evergreen Action and Data for Progress reveals how Senate Democrats can clean up the electric grid by 2035, even with a razor-thin majority.</li><li>Senate Democrats reintroduced legislation for a $100 billion national "green bank." It would make loans and investments in technologies aligned with Biden's climate agenda, <a href="https://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/national-green-bank-bill-targets-100b-for-business-sectors-key-to-bidens-climate-agenda">Greentech Media reported</a>. </li><li>Agriculture Secretary nominee Tom Vilsack said that he plans to prioritize efforts to address climate change and food insecurity, during his confirmation hearing on Tuesday, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sec-of-agriculture-nominee-prioritize-food-security-and-climate-change-2021-2">Insider's Ayelet Sheffey reports</a>. </li><li>Senator Gary Peters, a Michigan Democrat who advocates for strong climate change policy, recently invested up to $15,000 in a power company that primarily burns fossil fuels, according to a stock purchase disclosure, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gary-peters-michigan-senate-purchase-energy-stock-environment-power-coal-2021-2">Insider's Dave Levinthal reports</a>. </li></ol><h2 style="text-align: left;">Save the date: Building a clean-energy economy</h2>We're hosting a virtual roundtable, as part of our Transformers series, on how to build a clean energy economy. Save the date! When: March 8, at 10:00 am (NYC time)Where: Online, of course. We'll send out more information next week. Who: The roundtable will feature Shell's head of new energies, the founder of Form Energy, Facebook's renewable energy lead, and Oliver Wyman's head of energy. That's it! Have a great weekend. - Benji Ps. This was a serious storm. Here's what it looked like in Park Slope. <div type="image" title="Benji snow" height="2274" width="3024" msid="80712833" hostid="261"></div>

Hydrogen-powered flight inches closer to reality as Amazon and Gates' cleantech fund back fuel-cell startup ZeroAvia

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Japan Airlines is looking at the feasibility of hydrogen-electric aircraft via three new partnerships.</li><li>The use of hydrogen over kerosene would decrease aircraft CO2 emissions but limit range and capacity.</li><li>According to the World Bank, more than 98% of the world's hydrogen is made using natural gas or coal.</li></ul>One of Asia's largest airlines is placing big bets on hydrogen.In mid-November, Japan Airlines announced a series of deals with global manufacturers of hydrogen-electric aircraft and engines to explore the feasibility of flying emissions-free passenger planes.These forward-thinking manufacturers are big names in the hydrogen industry and include Germany's H2Fly, California's Universal Hydrogen, and the British-American company ZeroAvia. All three have successfully <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/power-players-aviation-sustainability-electric-hydrogen-flight-2022-5">flown hydrogen-powered aircraft</a> this year.The technology uses a hydrogen fuel cell to generate electricity and run electric motors, or hydrogen can be combusted to power engines.In either case, existing jet engines could be converted to work on hydrogen fuel, and the flights would be carbon-free so long as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hydrogen-energy-help-climate-crisis-but-still-hurdles-2023-10">"green" hydrogen</a> was used, or hydrogen made using renewable energy.An August study from the <a target="_blank" href="https://theicct.org/publication/fuel-cell-retrofit-aug23/">International Council on Clean Transportation</a>, a US nonprofit think tank, found hydrogen fuel cells using green liquid hydrogen could reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 88%.<h2>A growing market</h2>With hydrogen proving a popular solution and world governments <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/aviation-industry-net-zero-by-2050-disagree-decarbonization-2023-12">committing to net-zero emissions by 2050</a>, Japan Airlines' new partners are all racing to capitalize on the growing hydrogen market.In March, Universal Hydrogen flew the world's first hydrogen-powered regional airliner — an ATR 72 turboprop nicknamed Lightning McClean, which operated on hydrogen in only one engine for safety reasons.<div type="image" title="First UH liquid hydrogen flight on ATR 72." height="1706" width="2560" msid="106192276" hostid="261" sizebytes="127162"></div>The success is part of the company's development of ATR 72 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/startups-hydrogen-aircraft-market-aviation-aerodelft-joby-climate-carbon">conversion kits</a>, for which it has secured 250 orders. The kits would allow operators to fit existing kerosene-burning aircraft engines with hydrogen-fuel-cell powertrains.ZeroAvia, a competitor, is pursuing a similar venture with the hydrogen-electric engine it's building for passenger aircraft, describing hydrogen fuel as the "only viable, scalable solution for zero-emission aviation."<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zeroavia-wins-amazon-shell-funding-transform-aviation-industry-hydrogen-2021-2">With backing from Bill Gates, Amazon, and Shell</a>, ZeroAvia hopes to create powertrains capable of powering planes with anywhere from nine to over 200 people on board by 2040.<div type="image" title="ZeroAvia's world's first hydrogen-electric passenger plane flight" height="1667" width="2500" msid="106192277" hostid="261" sizebytes="148232"></div>The company <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/worlds-first-hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered-passenger-aircraft-flight-2020-10#however-this-hydrogen-electric-flight-isnt-the-projects-only-flight-to-have-taken-place-so-far-2">operated its first hydrogen-electric flight</a> in January using a 19-seater turboprop.Meanwhile, H2Fly operated the world's first piloted liquid-hydrogen flight in September using its four-seater HY4 demonstrator aircraft. The company said it's looking to size up to regional airliners soon.Other plane makers, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/see-a380-demonstrator-jet-that-will-test-hydrogen-powered-engines-2022-2">Airbus and Embraer, are also building hydrogen-powered aircraft</a> as part of their decarbonization efforts.<h2>Hydrogen powertrains are not strong enough yet to power large airliners</h2><div type="image" title="H2FLY's H2Y hydrogen plane flying." height="683" width="1024" msid="106192278" hostid="261" sizebytes="46660"></div>For now, the small prop planes are likely to remain the popular option for hydrogen-powered engines because the current technology is not strong enough to power the medium and large airliners that make up most of the world's passenger jets, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation.This is likely not an issue for Japan Airlines, though, as its new partnerships are directed at deploying hydrogen aircraft on short, regional routes around Japan."JAL group already operates 50 regional aircraft which will be relevant to hydrogen-electric propulsion technology in the foreseeable future," James Peck, ZeroAvia's chief customer officer, said in a press release.The airline's regional connector, Japan Air Commuter, already operates a small fleet of ATR 72 planes, so its investment in Universal Hydrogen could prove lucrative thanks to its conversion kits for the turboprop.There's a downside to using hydrogen on these tinier planes, though.Because hydrogen is light and requires a lot of storage space because of the immense volume needed compared with kerosene, these smaller aircraft sacrifice range and payload capacity — meaning they could become a cost burden for operators.But the range issue could be remedied with the use of liquid hydrogen over gaseous hydrogen, as shown by H2Fly's recent flight. According to the company, its September H2Y flight soared 932 miles using liquid hydrogen but only 466 miles using gaseous hydrogen."In the years to come, battery-electric and hydrogen-electric propulsion systems will enable us to build aircraft that are quieter and make mid- to long-range air travel possible with zero emissions," Universal Hydrogen said.<h2>The debate between 'green' and 'blue' hydrogen</h2><div type="image" title="Hydrogen renewable energy production pipeline - hydrogen gas for clean electricity solar and windturbine facility." height="3359" width="5015" msid="106192279" hostid="261" sizebytes="738898"></div>In addition to range and capacity problems, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1">hydrogen engines</a> have faced pushback from environmental advocates who worry that hydrogen production will further the fossil-fuel crisis.In October, the Biden administration announced $7 billion in funding to create "clean" hydrogen hubs, two-thirds of which were planned to be dedicated to producing green hydrogen via electrolysis — the process of splitting water into hydrogen and water.This, however, leaves room for what's known as "blue" hydrogen, created from a combination of natural gas and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-first-commercial-carbon-capture-facility-opens-2023-11">carbon capture and storage</a>.The process is considered carbon-neutral, but environmentalists say the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1">burning of natural gas</a> inherently means excess methane emissions — which is a much more potent greenhouse gas compared with CO2, though it doesn't sit in the atmosphere as long.According to the <a target="_blank" href="https://blogs.worldbank.org/energy/unleashing-power-hydrogen-clean-energy-transition">World Bank</a>, more than 98% of the world's hydrogen is made via natural gas or coal — meaning just a small portion is truly zero-emissions green hydrogen. "Gray" hydrogen — the same as blue minus the carbon capture — is the most abundant."It takes a lot of energy to capture the carbon dioxide, and that comes from burning even more natural gas," Robert Howarth, a professor of ecology and environmental biology at Cornell University, told Business Insider's Catherine Boudreau in October. "So it's not a surprise to me that the oil and gas industry likes the idea of blue hydrogen."However, Brian Korgel, the director of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin, told BI that the companies vying for hydrogen-hub funding had to meet strict criteria."There's some safeguards," Korgel said. "These projects have to meet emissions standards, and it's not in companies' benefit to do the smoke-and-mirrors thing because they won't get the grant money, which ratchets up over time."

Japan Airlines is looking at hydrogen-electric-powered aircraft as a solution to the aviation industry's carbon problem

<ul class="summary-list"><li>For an industry based entirely on the arrival of a new kind of aircraft, many technological and logistical hurdles must be cleared.</li><li>Those include battery tech, business plans, and the role drones must play before flying cars can take off.</li><li>The good news is that heaps of startups are working on these problems — and we've rounded up the best contenders to deliver the future of flight.</li></ul>Though <a href="http://images.markets.businessinsider.com/6-hot-startups-that-can-make-flying-cars-actually-happen-2020-11">investment opportunities</a> abound in the world of aerial mobility - for those patient enough to play the long game - staying abreast of the key technological challenges still standing in the way of viable, widespread electric air taxi service is important. It helps to temper expectations and filter out the hype.This is especially true because the industry is having a bit of an early reckoning, with instigator and cheerleader Uber <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joby-aviation-to-acquire-uber-elevate-wins-75-million-investment-2020-12">offloading the Elevate program</a> that helped spawn the movement back in 2016. Whether you think this is merely the first domino to fall in an effort that's already incomprehensibly ambitious, or merely an inevitable hiccup - likely one of many - the move reinforces the lesson that nothing in <keyword id="31907" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Aviation">aviation</keyword> is a foregone conclusion. Supporters may waver, companies may fail, and necessary innovations may not materialize.For an industry based entirely on the arrival of a new kind of aircraft, using new propulsion technologies and powered by the same <keyword id="45741" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="batteries">batteries</keyword> that have so far required massive innovation just to push a car 200 miles, many challenges remain-and yes, batteries are a big part of it. "The low energy density of batteries continues to force eVTOL makers to make significant design tradeoffs, resulting in performance that can only marginally meet customer mission requirements," warns Ben Marcus, co-founder of venture-capital firm <a href="https://www.up.partners/">UP.Partners</a>, which formed this year to invest in the necessary building blocks of the flying car business.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zeroavia-founder-reveals-challenges-advice-aviation-startups-2020-12'">ZeroAvia's founder reveals how he got $21 million to build a plane that won't go to market for a decade</a></li></ul>"The industry must also develop autonomy systems that significantly improve the safety of vertical-lift aircraft relative to human-piloted helicopters before they will make a significant difference in the daily commutes of millions of people."Furthermore, the new technologies will have to be certifiable to safety standards that are much higher than for terrestrial transport systems - mostly given the fact that if something fails on the ground, the solution is often as simple as pulling over and stopping, something not easily done in aircraft. They must be practical for commercial applications, with adequate passenger space and flight range, and appealing to potential passengers. The flight experience needs to be comfortable and secure, or nobody will want to fly in the new aircraft.Fortunately, Marcus adds, there are a lot of cooks in the kitchen - commercial R&amp;D labs, government agencies, university engineering departments - and plenty of beneficiaries beyond commuters looking to coast over gridlock. The same technologies that will lift those folks will also deliver pizzas, execute search-and-rescue missions, inspect power lines, shuttle emergency supplies, and more.<h2>Drones need to light the way</h2>The technological pipelines for all this needed innovation are already very active, with pilot projects and commercial deployment of drone-based systems, which use a lot of similar technologies to those needed for passenger-carrying aircraft, being initiated around the globe. Marcus cites Zipline and Matternet as companies already delivering medical supplies in many parts of the world, while UPS, Amazon, Google Wing, and others are <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/drone-delivery-services-are-actually-finally-almost-here/">working with the FAA to establish drone delivery systems</a> in the U.S. These companies will operate in clearly defined geographic areas and under strict rules for how high and in what conditions their aircraft can fly.<ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/zipline-drone-coronavirus-supplies-africa-rwanda-ghana-2020-5">How Zipline engineered drones to deliver vital COVID-19 medical supplies to rural Ghana and Rwanda in minutes</a></li></ul>Once the early delivery systems prove they can successfully complete their missions, they'll need to graduate to wider geographic areas and be able to operate in the presence of other aircraft, whether human-piloted or autonomous. Marcus' own initiative, AirMap, a drone-management software company, is working to help devise a system that will be needed to define paths through communities, factoring in winds and weather at low altitudes, electronic noise that might interfere with navigation or communications to local air traffic networks, and risk areas, such as those with dense pedestrian traffic.The idea is that eventually the drones will be able to function with full awareness of other aircraft in the area, map out their own routes to their destinations while avoiding conflicts, and generally be able to keep themselves out of trouble. These are the same capabilities - collectively known as autonomy - that will be required of larger electric aircraft capable of carrying actual passengers.<h2>Autonomy in reach</h2>That ultimate goal, fully autonomous flight, is being tackled by companies such as Reliable Robotics, Merlin Labs, X-Wing, Near Earth Autonomy, Daedalean, Skydio, and others. Skydio founder Adam Bry is consciously taking a walk-then-run approach to artificial intelligence-based systems controlling aviation. This begins with consumer drones that can safely and reliably follow people and vehicles <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKlpCG367AE&amp;feature=youtu.beu.be">while avoiding obstacles</a>, followed by industrial and commercial applications. Skydio just signed the largest-ever commercial drone contract, for 5,000 Skydio 2 drones to be used in <a href="https://www.eagleview.com/newsroom/2020/09/eagleview-skydio-partnership-revolutionizing-virtual-property-inspections/">residential roof inspections</a>. It will then move to drones that can operate independently in public airspace, and then, ultimately, those passenger-carrying aircraft. "That's the big flywheel that we're trying to spin up," Bry says. "Over time, as the core algorithms get better based on the validation of the data, I think we get more and more confident in scaling them up to bigger and bigger and higher-consequence vehicles and systems."<div type="image" title="Skydio" height="1582" width="3000" msid="79979189" hostid="261"></div>Bry says that while the air taxi future will take a long time to come to fruition, due to the multitude of new technologies that need to converge, there are many paths for innovation that can be exploited to develop the capabilities safely. For instance, he notes that simply keeping autonomous drones low to the ground and within 50 feet of structures will keep out of the way of other aircraft, while enabling the devices to be widely deployed. "That's where we're going to see the most progress in the short term," he says. "There's so much value in terms of data collection that you can get by flying 30 to 50 feet from the ground."<h2>Building the business</h2>Until that evolution gains significant traction, human-occupied systems, like drones, will also be constrained to very specific corridors and flight conditions. But even there, the technology is advancing surprisingly quickly. EHang, based in China, has been working to launch an air taxi pilot program for Dubai. German startup Volocopter has been doing the same in Singapore. Munich-based Lilium just announced plans for an air taxi service that will launch in 2025 near Orlando. The latter will shuttle passengers between Lake Nona and destinations within the anticipated 186-mile range of its aircraft, the Lilium Jet. <div type="image" title="Lilium Air Taxi test flight" height="1752" width="3004" msid="79979193" hostid="261"></div>Lilium COO Remo Gerber says such a system, which would be privately funded though potentially with backing from the city of Orlando, could test solutions for multiple technological challenges at once-the logistics of reserving and booking flights, the infrastructure required for its $25 million "vertiport," the specific capabilities of the aircraft itself, and the whole development process itself. Yet he is optimistic that a minimal ground presence will mean greater economic viability. "If we were to ever think about putting a high-speed ground transportation system anywhere in the world, you wouldn't even get through the permitting stage alone in four years," he says. "But we believe we could have a very large, significant network up and running across the whole state of Florida-while giving people a beautiful view, too."<h2>Batteries are the linchpin</h2>It's possible, however, that absolutely none of this will happen-at real scale, anyway-without a significant breakthrough in power technology. While early system battery-electric air taxi systems will likely be able to get away with short-range aircraft that will need to be charged before every flight, eventually the aircraft will need to be able to deliver on the 180-plus mile ranges and the hyper-fast recharging that have been promised but not yet validated. Companies leading the charge here, so to speak, include Cuberg, MagniX, Ampaire, and Verdego Aero. <div type="image" title="Alaka'i Technologies unveils a model of a working prototype of Skai, a hydrogen fuel cell powered multi-rotor aircraft the company designed to carry up to five passengers, during an event in Newbury Park, California, U.S., May 29, 2019. REUTERS/Andrew Cullen" height="2752" width="4128" msid="79979196" hostid="261"></div>However, just because air taxis will be electric, that doesn't mean they necessarily have to be powered by batteries. Alaka'I Technologies and ZeroAvia are both developing hydrogen-powered propulsion systems for electric aircraft. Alaka'I was selected for a series of flight tests and assessments in NASA's Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign, and ZeroAvia executed its first flight test, in September, of a conventional six-seat aircraft converted to its hydrogen-based electric system. According to Marcus, <keyword id="169046" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="hydrogen">hydrogen</keyword> power just might find a home in aviation much more readily than it has in automotive applications. If so, it could prove to be a significant piece to the air taxi technology puzzle-but one of many pieces nonetheless.<ul class="read-more-links"><li style="list-style-type: none;"><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/electric-planes-future-of-aviation-problems-regulations-2020-3">Why electric planes haven't taken off yet</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/electric-planes-are-ready-to-disrupt-the-airline-industry-2020-3">The electric-plane revolution is finally here, and it promises to shake up the $840 billion airline industry</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/venture-capital-vcs-electric-aviation-startups-2020-11">8 electric aviation startups poised to blow past the jet age and modernize air travel and logistics</a></li></ul></li></ul>

The 4 biggest hurdles blocking the arrival of flying cars - and the top startups with the best shot of blowing past them

<ul class="summary-list" style="text-align: left;"><li>VC investment in clean-energy technologies <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-10-most-active-clean-energy-investors-in-2019-bnef-2020-1">swelled to more than $10 billion last year</a>, according to a new research report from Goldman Sachs. </li><li>Since 2016, the sector has grown 37% per year, the bank says, and deal sizes have increased. </li><li>The firm says it expects to see "more and larger deals" across a variety of technologies including carbon removal, hydrogen power, and what it calls "next-generation" nuclear energy. </li><li>Business Insider compiled a list of the top companies in each of those three sectors, using data from the Goldman Sachs report. They're ranked by the size of the most recent deal. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime">Click here for more BI Prime stories</a>.</li></ul>Venture capitalists poured more $10 billion into the clean-energy industry last year, according to a recent report from Goldman Sachs. Meanwhile, global VC investment fell by 16%. The report reinforces the idea that the clean-tech industry - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-top-clean-energy-startups-disrupting-energy-industry-2020-1">pronounced dead around 2008</a> - has nearly recovered. Since 2016, investment in the sector has grown by an average of 37% per year, the bank says. And it expects further investment in the years to come, as VCs search for "answers to climate change." However, the spread of the novel coronavirus may throw that growth into question.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bnef-analysts-slash-projections-for-2020-renewable-energy-installations-2020-3">The leading clean-energy research firm just slashed its outlook in response to the coronavirus pandemic, revealing that solar energy installations could decline for the first time in decades</a>Goldman also found that deal numbers have remained relatively flat, suggesting that startups are closing larger funding rounds. The number of early-stage deals is falling, too - another sign that the clean-energy industry is maturing. In the coming years, Goldman expects to see "more and larger deals" across a variety of technologies including carbon removal, hydrogen power, and what it calls "next-generation" nuclear energy.The firm published a list of the top 10 private companies in each of those three segments, based on the size of the companies' most recent deals. The companies are listed by industry below, in order of smallest to largest deals. Unless otherwise noted, the data come from Goldman Sachs. <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/power-line">Click here to subscribe to Power Line</a>, Business Insider's weekly clean-energy newsletter.<h2 style="text-align: left;">'Next generation' nuclear technologies</h2>Nuclear power makes up about 8% of the energy Americans consume, according to the US Energy Information Administration, and all of it comes from fission reactors.Fission generates energy by splitting atoms apart, whereas fusion - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fusion-startup-tokamak-energy-raises-87-million-2020-1">the target of most recent VC investment</a> - creates energy by fusing atoms together, which experts say <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fusion-startup-tokamak-energy-raises-87-million-2020-1">is less dangerous</a>. Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fusion-startup-tokamak-energy-raises-87-million-2020-1">This fusion startup just raised $87 million - and it's using the cash to superheat plasma six times hotter than the sun</a>According to Goldman Sachs, nuclear energy has attracted more investor interest over the last three years. VC funding was up more than 30%, year-over-year, since 2017, reaching about $250 million in 2019. Note: Business Insider removed three companies from the Goldman Sachs list because they made products for other industries. We replaced them with other startups using data from PitchBook. 10. Helion Energy* - $11 million <ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last round: $11 million; July 6, 2o15</li><li>Total raised: $12 million, according to PitchBook</li><li>Investors: Peter Thiel, Y Combinator, and the Department of Energy, per PitchBook</li></ul>9. Deep Isolation - $15 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last round: $15 million; January 7, 2020</li><li>Total raised: $29 million, according to PitchBook</li><li>Investors: Berkeley SkyDeck, an accelerator </li></ul>8. Ultra Safe Nuclear - $17 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $17 million; February 7, 2020</li><li>Total raised: $17 million, according to PitchBook</li><li>Investors: America's Seed Fund</li></ul>7. Terrestrial Energy - $17.2 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $17.2 million; March 22, 2019</li><li>Total raised: $38 million, according to PitchBook</li><li>Investors: Danny Way, Sustainable Development Technology Canada</li></ul>6. First Light Fusion - $33 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $33 million; February 6, 2020, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/fusion-startups-step-in-to-realize-decades-old-clean-power-dream-11581001383">per the Wall Stree Journal</a></li><li>Total raised: $73 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: Invesco, IP Group, Oxford Sciences Innovation</li></ul>5. General Fusion - $65 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $65 million; December 16, 2019</li><li>Total raised: $309 million, per PitchBook </li><li>Notable investors: Jeff Bezos and Microsoft, per PitchBook</li></ul>4. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fusion-startup-tokamak-energy-raises-87-million-2020-1">Tokamak Energy</a>* - $87 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $87 million; January 20, 2020</li><li>Total raised: $162 million</li><li>Notable investors: The billionaire Hans-Peter Wild, who owns the juice brand Capri Sun</li></ul>3. Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) - $115 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $115 million; June 27, 2019</li><li>Total raised: $180 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: The Bill Gates-led fund, Breakthrough Energy Ventures; Italian energy giant Eni; Khosla Ventures</li></ul>2. LeadCold Reactors - $200 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $200 million; January 27, 2017</li><li>Total raised: $218 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: Essel Group, KIC InnoEnergy, KTH Innovation</li></ul>1. TAE Technologies* - $375 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $375 million; May 20, 2016</li><li>Total raised: $772 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: Google's parent company, Alphabet; Italian energy giant Enel; and Goldman Sachs, per PitchBook</li></ul>*Not included in Goldman Sach's list.<h2 style="text-align: left;">Carbon removal</h2><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/carbon-capture-explainer-technology-limitations">Climate models are clear</a>: To limit warming to 2 degrees celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), relative to pre-industrial levels, we'll need carbon capture and storage - tools that essentially suck carbon dioxide out of the air and store it somewhere. A <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meet-the-5-buzziest-startups-turning-carbon-emissions-into-profit-2020-1">raft of startups</a> are working on these strategies, and many of them are backed by oil and gas companies like Shell. And for good reason: Injecting carbon dioxide into wells is a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/carbon-capture-explainer-technology-limitations">common way to extract more oil</a>. Plus, many energy giants have made commitments to reduce their carbon emissions. Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/shell-is-betting-big-on-these-3-types-of-early-stage-startups-2020-3">The head of Shell's incubator program reveals where the energy giant is looking for breakthrough startups</a>Carbon capture tech is still in the "early stages" of VC funding, Goldman Sachs writes, "with deal count and capital invested still small." In 2019, there were 14 deals, according to the bank, amounting to a total of about $200 million. These are the top private companies, according to Goldman Sachs, based on their latest deal size. 10. Pachama - $4 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $4 million; January 3, 2020</li><li>Total raised to date: $8 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: Ataria Ventures, Atomico, Global Founders Capital, Y Combinator</li></ul>9. C-capture - $5 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $5 million; December 21, 2018</li><li>Total raised to date: $5 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: BP's venture arm, BP Ventures, and the US Department of Energy</li></ul>8. Calera - $11 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $10.6 million; December 13, 2011</li><li>Total raised to date: $229 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: Vonid Khosla, Khosla Ventures, Peabody Energy</li></ul>7. Carbon Clean Solutions - $16 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $16 million; February 17, 2020</li><li>Total raised to date: $22 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: Chevron's venture arm, Chevron Technology Ventures</li></ul>6. Carbon Engineering- $19<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $19 million; June 26, 2019</li><li>Total raised: $112 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: Chevron's venture arm, Chevron Technology Ventures; Occidental Petroleum; and Bill Gates, per PitchBook</li></ul>5. Newlight Technologies - $21 million <ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $21 million; March 28, 2019</li><li>Total raised: $80 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: Metrix Capital Group (among other undisclosed backers)</li></ul>4. Svante - $26 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $26 million; June 25, 2019</li><li>Total raised: $45 million, per PitchBook </li><li>Notable investors: Chevron's venture arm, Chevron Technology Ventures; the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, a fund led by oil giants; Mitsui; and Chrysalix Venture Capital, per PitchBook</li></ul>3. Solidia Technologies - $31 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $31 million; July 31, 2018</li><li>Total raised: $118 million, per PitchBook </li><li>Notable investors: Air Liquide Venture Capital; BP's venture arm, BP Ventures; French energy giant Total; and Kleiner Perkins, per PitchBook </li></ul>2. Climeworks - $31 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $31 million; August 28, 2018</li><li>Total raised: $35 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: EIT Climate-KIC, Zurich Cantonal Bank</li></ul>1. LanzaTech - $72 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $72 million; August 6, 2019</li><li>Total raised: $503 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: Mitsui, Seimens Project Ventures, and Khosla Ventures, per PitchBook</li></ul>Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/carbon-capture-explainer-technology-limitations">4 disappointing facts about carbon capture tech that explain why it's not about to save us from climate change</a><h2 style="text-align: left;">Hydrogen power</h2>Hydrogen power is one of the fastest-growing segments of the clean-energy industry, according to Goldman Sachs. The industry saw year-over-year growth of 106% in 2018 and 30% in 2019, reaching about $300 million in investment last year. Most of that growth was driven by investment in one startup: Nikola Motor Company. So, why hydrogen? The gas is a common industrial feedstock, used to make everything from ammonia to steel. It's also used in fuel cells, which can power cars and trains.Hydrogen is considered "clean" because its only byproducts are water and heat. But more than 90% of the hydrogen we use today is extracted from fossil fuels, so analysts and experts see big carbon-reduction opportunities in creating what's called "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1">green hydrogen</a>." Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/3-little-known-industries-shaping-the-future-global-energy-economy-2020-1">These 3 little-known industries worth a combined $245 billion are quietly shaping the future global energy economy</a>These are the top private hydrogen power companies, according to Goldman Sachs, based on their latest deal size. 10. YC Synergy - $3 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $3 million; November 30, 2017</li><li>Total raised: $3 million, per PitchBook </li><li>Notable investors: 23Seed</li></ul>9. ZeroAvia- $3.3 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $3.3 million; September 18, 2019</li><li>Total raised: $4 million, per PitchBook </li><li>Notable investors: Government of the UK, SystemiQ</li></ul>8. H2Pro - $4 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $4 million; October 29, 2019</li><li>Total raised: $9 million, per PitchBook </li><li>Notable investors: Contrarian Ventures; Hyundai's venture arm, Hyundai CRADLE</li></ul>7. HydroT Technology - $4 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $4 million; December 10, 2019</li><li>Total raised: Undisclosed</li><li>Notable investors: Nowogen, Shenzhen Center Power Tech Company, Zheshang Venture Capital</li></ul>6. Joi Scientific- $4 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $4 million; July 10, 2018</li><li>Total raised: $9 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: 3737 North Capital and BlueSky Capital Partners</li></ul>5. GenCell (Alternative Energy Equipment) - $10 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $10 million; January 23, 2020</li><li>Total raised: $10 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: Paz Oil Company, BIRD Foundation, and Landa Ventures, per PitchBook</li></ul>4. Ergosup - $13 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $13 million, February 18, 2019</li><li>Total raised: $19 million; per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: Air Liquide Venture Capital, AP Ventures, Demeter</li></ul>3. Lhyfe - $13 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $13 million; January 1, 2019</li><li>Total raised: $13 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: Noria, Ocean Participations, Ouest Croissance Gestion</li></ul>2. Ardica Technologies - $15 million<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Last finance round: $15 million; May 31, 2018</li><li>Total raised: $22 million, per PitchBook</li><li>Notable investors: Chrysalix Venture Capital, United States Department of Defense</li></ul>1. Nikola Motor Company* - $250 million<ul><li style="text-align: left;">Last finance round: $250 million; September 3, 2019</li><li>Total raised: $635 million, per PitchBook</li><li style="text-align: left;">Notable investors: CNH Industrial, U.S. Department of Energy, ValueAct Capital Management, Wabco</li></ul>*Nikola Motor Company is <a href="https://nikolamotor.com/press_releases/nikola-corporation-a-global-leader-in-zero-emissions-transportation-solutions-to-be-listed-on-nasdaq-through-a-merger-with-vectoiq-74">in the process of merging with VectoIQ Acquisition Corporation</a>. After the merger is complete later this year, the new entity - Nikola Corporation - will be a publically traded company under the ticker NKLA. <ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/3-little-known-industries-shaping-the-future-global-energy-economy-2020-1">These 3 little-known industries worth a combined $245 billion are quietly shaping the future global energy economy</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-10-most-active-clean-energy-investors-in-2019-bnef-2020-1">Private investors poured $10.5 billion into clean energy in 2019. These are the top funds making bets on the industry.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-top-clean-energy-startups-disrupting-energy-industry-2020-1">These are the top 21 clean-tech startups to watch that are set to transform the energy industry</a></li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hydrogen-fuel-industry-explainer-2020-1">Shell just announced plans to build the world's largest 'green hydrogen' plant. Here's everything you need to know about the $145 billion industry, which is set to transform the energy sector.</a></li></ul>Get the latest Goldman Sachs stock price<a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/GS-Quote"> here.</a>

A Goldman Sachs report reveals the top 30 startups in three booming clean-energy industries

Jeff Bezos says Amazon's new CEO won't have an easy job, but he's confident his successor 'won't let the universe make us typical'

Jeff Bezos is about to hand over the keys of Amazon to a new CEO. Read his final letter to shareholders right here.

You Searched For "zeroavia" and got 7 results

An aviation startup has completed what it calls the world's first hydrogen fuel cell-powered passenger aircraft flight

Brittany Chang

Hydrogen-powered flight inches closer to reality as Amazon and Gates' cleantech fund back fuel-cell startup ZeroAvia

Benji Jones

Japan Airlines is looking at hydrogen-electric-powered aircraft as a solution to the aviation industry's carbon problem

Taylor Rains

The 4 biggest hurdles blocking the arrival of flying cars - and the top startups with the best shot of blowing past them

Eric Adams

A Goldman Sachs report reveals the top 30 startups in three booming clean-energy industries

Benji Jones,Benji Jones

Jeff Bezos says Amazon's new CEO won't have an easy job, but he's confident his successor 'won't let the universe make us typical'

Annabelle Williams

Jeff Bezos is about to hand over the keys of Amazon to a new CEO. Read his final letter to shareholders right here.

Ben Gilbert

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides