Airbus Explores Hydrogen Infrastructure with North American Airports and Delta Air Lines
Key Ideas
  • Airbus partners with North American airports, Delta Air Lines to study hydrogen infrastructure for aircraft, aiming to develop a hydrogen-powered passenger plane by 2035.
  • Studies will focus on creating hydrogen hubs at major airports in Canada and the USA, assessing feasibility and requirements for a hydrogen supply chain.
  • Partnerships extend globally with Airbus exploring hydrogen initiatives in various countries, emphasizing hydrogen as a key solution for reducing carbon emissions in the aerospace industry.
  • Challenges in hydrogen adoption include storage issues due to its volume and temperature requirements, but Airbus continues to advance hydrogen-powered aircraft concepts under its ZEROe programme.
Airbus has announced a partnership with several North American airports and Delta Air Lines to conduct studies on the feasibility of equipping airports with the necessary infrastructure to support the distribution of hydrogen fuel for aircraft. The goal of these studies is to determine the viability of developing a hydrogen-powered passenger aircraft by 2035 as part of its ZEROe programme. Airbus will be collaborating with airports in Canada and the USA to define the requirements for a hydrogen supply chain and assess the potential integration of hydrogen fuel at airports. These initiatives also aim to understand the availability and cost of hydrogen as a fuel source. Airbus is actively engaging in similar partnerships globally, believing in hydrogen as a crucial element in reducing carbon emissions in the aerospace industry. Despite the promising aspects of hydrogen, challenges exist in its widespread adoption. Liquid hydrogen's larger volume by energy unit compared to fossil-based jet fuel poses a design challenge for aircraft to carry the necessary amount for optimal range. Additionally, the storage of hydrogen at extremely low temperatures presents logistical hurdles. Airbus has already unveiled hydrogen-powered aircraft concepts under its ZEROe programme, including a blended-wing-body aircraft and a turboprop. The company's CEO hinted at starting with smaller hydrogen-powered aircraft to target specific market segments. Despite the obstacles, Airbus remains committed to exploring hydrogen as a sustainable solution for 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.