Hydrogen airplanes making most progress airline, flight date, destination already known

EcoNews carries an article about the future of sustainable air travel which is on the horizon with the development of hydrogen-powered passenger airplanes, Caliber.Az reprints the article.

The search for the perfect renewable fuel remains unresolved, although we have several proposals. One of them is related, precisely, to the most abundant chemical element in the universe, which by now you know well what it is. One of the projects that are making most progress in this regard are the hydrogen airplanes, whose launch date is finally known.

Aviation can also be sustainable: a fuel that’s better than electricity or sustainable aviation fuels (SAF)

The future of sustainable air travel is on the horizon with the development of hydrogen-powered passenger airplanes. As concerns over climate change continue to mount, the airline industry faces increasing pressure to reduce its carbon footprint.

Commercial aviation currently accounts for approximately 2-3 per cent of global carbon emissions. Transitioning air travel away from fossil fuels is critical for meeting net zero emission targets. Hydrogen has emerged as a promising zero-emission fuel alternative capable of powering commercial aircraft.

When burned, hydrogen produces only water vapor as exhaust, eliminating carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Several major aircraft manufacturers and airlines are now actively researching and testing hydrogen propulsion technology to make carbon-free flying a reality within this decade.

The recent successful test flight of a converted turboprop engine running on hydrogen fuel marks an aviation milestone. It proves hydrogen has the potential to transform air transportation and substantially decarbonize the industry. Widespread adoption of hydrogen-powered planes could significantly curb aviation’s climate impact.

These are the first hydrogen airplanes, which will decarbonize our skies almost 100 per cent

In November 2022, Rolls-Royce and EasyJet announced a groundbreaking partnership to develop hydrogen plane technology. The collaboration brings together Rolls-Royce, a leading manufacturer of aircraft engines, and EasyJet, a major European airline.

Rolls-Royce and EasyJet plan to adapt existing jet engines to run on hydrogen rather than jet fuel. They successfully tested a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A regional aircraft engine using hydrogen fuel in a demonstration in October 2022.

The companies say using hydrogen could make aviation ‘net zero’ by eliminating carbon emissions. Burning hydrogen only produces water vapor, not carbon dioxide. This makes hydrogen an environmentally sustainable fuel option as the industry aims to decarbonize.

EasyJet has signed a memorandum of understanding with Rolls-Royce to collaborate on hydrogen-powered planes in the coming years. The airline aims to be the launch customer of a hydrogen aircraft developed by Rolls-Royce. Both companies envision hydrogen as the long-term future of environmentally friendly aviation.

The flight test that has sown optimism and that mankind is looking forward to

In November 2022, Rolls-Royce and EasyJet completed a successful ground test of a hydrogen-fueled aero engine. This test marked a major milestone, demonstrating that an existing gas turbine engine can burn 100 per cent hydrogen as fuel.

During the test, a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A regional aircraft engine was run on hydrogen fuel for the first time. The hydrogen was supplied to the test cell through new fuel systems and combustors specially designed for hydrogen. The engine successfully ran at a variety of power settings.

This ground test provided proof that the current generation of gas turbine engines can be adapted to run on hydrogen, which provides a pathway to decarbonizing aviation. By demonstrating that hydrogen can safely and effectively deliver power, the test validated hydrogen as a zero-carbon fuel for commercial aircraft.

The next phase is scheduled to begin in 2026, using a modified EasyJet plane with a hydrogen-fueled engine. Additional ground testing will continue to optimize the engine performance. The goal is to gather sufficient data to support hydrogen as an aviation fuel, leading to larger scale commercialization in the 2030s.

As you have seen, hydrogen airplanes are destined to be the future of our transportation, not only to make it more sustainable, but also to lead the way towards faster and safer flights. Of course, it is something that we could never do with kerosene, nor with electricity, no matter how close this option is and seems promising.