More attention should be given to hydrogen as a way of decarbonising air travel, according to a group of aviation and renewable energy companies.
Airline easyJet and manufacturers Airbus and Rolls-Royce are part of the new Hydrogen in Aviation (HIA) alliance.
The alliance believes the UK can become a global leader in developing hydrogen-powered flights if the Government invests in a 10-year research programme, supports the delivery of infrastructure and ensures the required regulatory regime is in place.
We must work together to deliver the radical solutions required— Johan Lundgren, easyJet
It says hydrogen as an aviation fuel can bring a £34 billion annual benefit to the UK by 2050.
The only waste product from using hydrogen as a fuel is water, leading to hopes it could power commercial aircraft without creating carbon emissions.
EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren said: “There is no doubt that the UK has the potential to become a world leader in hydrogen aviation, which could bring with it a £34 billion per annum boost to the country’s economy by 2050, but in order to capture this opportunity, rapid change is needed and the time to act is now.
“We must work together to deliver the radical solutions required for a hard-to-abate industry like aviation so we can protect and maximise the benefits that it brings to the UK economy and society and that we know British consumers want to be preserved.
“HIA looks forward to working with the UK Government to ensure the right funding, regulatory and policy changes are implemented to accelerate the delivery of zero-carbon aviation.”
We have already tested a modern aero engine on green hydrogen and we strongly believe it is one of the solutions that will help decarbonise aviation in the mid to long-term— Grazia Vittadini, Rolls-Royce
Airbus chief technology officer Sabine Klauke said: “As Airbus continues to mature the aircraft technologies needed to deliver hydrogen-powered flight, a united industry voice is needed to secure a robust ecosystem of renewably sourced hydrogen.
“Joining our peers from across the UK aviation landscape in a targeted approach to policy and investment action brings us closer to a decarbonised future of flying.”
Rolls-Royce chief technology officer Grazia Vittadini said: “Collaboration is key when it comes to achieving our net zero ambitions as an industry, which is why we are proud to be part of the Hydrogen in Aviation alliance.
“Our contribution to HIA is the capability and experience we have in pioneering new technologies and solutions – we have already tested a modern aero engine on green hydrogen and we strongly believe it is one of the solutions that will help decarbonise aviation in the mid to long-term.”
Other members of HIA are renewable energy company Orsted, components business GKN Aerospace and Bristol Airport.
The Government’s Jet Zero strategy sets out how it hopes the UK will achieve net zero carbon emissions in aviation by 2050.
Much of the focus has been on developing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
It is produced from sustainable sources such as agricultural waste and used cooking oil, and can reduce carbon emissions by up to 80% compared to traditional jet fuel.
On Monday, the Department for Transport unveiled plans for a “revenue certainty mechanism” aimed at giving SAF producers more confidence about their earnings.
