Challenges and Promises of Hydrogen in Aviation
Key Ideas
  • Industry leaders view hydrogen as a key component for sustainable air travel due to its potential to significantly reduce CO2 emissions in aviation.
  • Despite the optimism, challenges such as the high cost of green hydrogen, infrastructure development, and redesigning aircraft pose significant hurdles.
  • Hydrogen is seen as a more long-term solution compared to alternative fuels like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) due to its potential for CO2-free flying.
  • Collaborative projects and public-private partnerships are crucial for advancing hydrogen technology and overcoming the obstacles in the aviation industry.
During a meeting organized by the Aerospace, Security, and Defence Industries Association of Europe (ASD) in Brussels, industry experts expressed optimism about hydrogen's potential for sustainable aviation. While hydrogen is being considered as a viable alternative to kerosene in Europe, significant challenges remain. The main obstacles include the need for infrastructure development to ensure a stable supply of sustainable fuel, the high cost of green hydrogen production, and the redesign of aircraft to accommodate hydrogen's low density. Industry leaders highlighted the urgency of addressing CO2 emissions in aviation, which are predicted to rise without intervention. Despite the hurdles, hydrogen is viewed as a more promising long-term solution compared to alternative fuels like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which still release CO2. The European Union's Clean Aviation joint undertaking aims to enhance fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions by deploying hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2035. Collaborative efforts and public-private partnerships are seen as essential for advancing hydrogen technology. Meanwhile, Swiss start-up Destinus is working on developing a hypersonic plane fueled by hydrogen, presenting new possibilities for high-speed air travel. The company's innovative approach and focus on hydrogen applications signify a shift towards cleaner and more efficient aviation.
ADVANCEH2

Our vision is to be the world's leading online platform for advancing the use of hydrogen as a critical piece needed to deliver net-zero initiatives and the promise of a clean H2 energy future.

© 2024 AdvanceH2, LLC. All rights reserved.