How hydrogen can reduce aircraft emissions and help to decarbonise aviation activites on the ground.
While many agreements regarding more environmentally friendly fuels are to power aircraft, Airbus and industrial gases and engineering company, Linde, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to work on the infrastructure behind the use of hydrogen at airports.
The deal covers collaboration on global supply chains for hydrogen, from production to airport storage, including the integration of refuelling into normal ground handling operations. The two companies will define and launch pilot projects at several airports from early next year. Additionally, Airbus and Linde will assess power-to-liquid fuels, to create a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
“We are advancing well with hydrogen as an important technology pathway to achieve our ambition of bringing a zero-emission commercial aircraft to market by 2035,” says Sabine Klauke, chief technical officer, Airbus. “Building the infrastructure is just as crucial. That’s why we are working closely with partners like Linde, who have experience and expertise worldwide in the storage and distribution of hydrogen.”
Using hydrogen to power aircraft will significantly cut aircraft emissions. It could also help decarbonise activities on the ground. This latest move builds on Airbus’s “Hydrogen Hub at Airports” programme which is researching infrastructure requirements and low-carbon airports.