Airbus, easyJet and Rolls-Royce have combined forces in a bold attempt to position Britain as a market leader of hydrogen-powered aviation at a time when the industry is plotting its course to decarbonisation.
The partnership has been launched under the name of the Hydrogen in Aviation (HIA) alliance and aims to ensure that infrastructure, policy, regulatory and safety frameworks are ready for when the first hydrogen-powered aircraft are officially launched.
“It would be unforgivable if actually the aircraft were available ready to fly and we could operate them, but actually, it got hold back because some of these policies weren’t really in place,” easyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said at a press briefing.
Airbus is planning to introduce a hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft by 2035, and Lundgren has confirmed that he hopes easyJet will be the first customer.
Hydrogen flight is one of a number of competing technologies being heavily researched at a time when the aviation industry is facing the mountainous task of reaching net-zero emission targets by 2050.
Currently, the supply of appropriate fuels for zero emissions is a major challenge, securing a ready-made supply produced from renewable energy, redesigning aircraft for large and heavy tanks, and new infrastructure at airports, etc.
The HIA partners, who include British parts-maker GKN Aerospace and Denmark-based green energy company Orsted, said there was a huge amount of work to do to set up the relevant frameworks, and they needed to work with government plus aviation and safety regulators.
According to Reuters news agency, before the end of 2023, the HIA has advised it will produce a report setting out the milestones that need to be met over the next ten years to make hydrogen-powered flight a reality.
