The hydrogen engine features multiple fuel cells stacked together, offering increased power as well as zero NOx emissions or contrails, which Airbus has said adds further decarbonisation benefits compared to direct hydrogen combustion.
Glenn Llewellyn, Vice-President of Zero-Emission Aircraft at Airbus explained that the fuel cell engines could be used to power an aircraft carrying up to 100 for around 1,000 nautical miles.
Llewellyn said, “Fuel cells are a potential solution to help us achieve our zero-emission ambition and we are focused on developing and testing this technology to understand if it is feasible and viable for a 2035 entry-into-service of a zero-emission aircraft. At scale, and if the technology targets were achieved, fuel cell engines may be able to power a one hundred passenger aircraft with a range of approximately 1,000 nautical miles.”
In 2020, Airbus unveiled three ZEROe concept designs, ranging from 100 to 200 seater aircrafts.
Read more: Airbus sets its sights on hydrogen powering the future of aircraft
“By continuing to invest in this technology we are giving ourselves additional options that will inform our decisions on the architecture of our future ZEROe aircraft, the development of which
we intend to launch in the 2027-2028 timeframe,” Llewellyn added.
Earlier today, Airbus announced it would be working with ArianeGroup to build the ‘first’ liquid hydrogen refuelling facility for its ZEROe aircraft at Toulouse Blagnac airport, France so it can carry out ground and flight tests on its A380 MSN1 demonstrator aircraft.
Read more: Airbus and ArianeGroup partner to build ‘first’ liquid hydrogen refuelling facility
The soaring twenties: The decade hydrogen aviation will take-off
Excitement has been building for some time across industries, governments and media about the potential for hydrogen to decarbonise where other technologies cannot. Hard-to-abate sectors, like aviation, are seen as particular sweet spots. But the accepted wisdom seems to have set the middle of next decade as the target date. That’s a long wait.
This is particularly frustrating because we can’t afford to wait 12 or 13 years to start making meaningful in-roads into aviation’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly given the industry’s demand growth. It’s also a drastic underestimation as to how soon hydrogen will become a significant fuel in use for moving passengers and cargo in the skies.
There are some clear reasons why people should reconsider their horizons on hydrogen aviation, particularly hydrogen-electric (which uses fuel cells to power electric motors, as opposed to traditional combustion). As someone in the field of aviation for many years and as a precursor to the H2 View features that you’re about to see over the coming pages of this Aviation & Aerospace Issue, I’d like to set the scene here with my own take on those clear reasons…
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