Hydrogen-powered regional flights set to take off in Scandinavian pilot project

In a timely announcement, a matter of weeks before UK Hydrogen Week (w/c 26th February), Airbus has announced a pilot project to test the feasibility of hydrogen-powered regional flight in Scandinavia. 

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by: Airbus,  Norway and Sweden's airport operators Avinor and Swedavia, and Vattenfall (a Swedish energy business seeking fossil fuel alternatives). The pilot projects seeks to develop hydrogen aircraft concepts, as well as operational, infrastructure and refuelling needs. 

The agreement covers more than 50 airports across Norway and Sweden, with both countries already enjoying abundant clean energy resources.

Airbus has previously announced that it aims to introduce commercial hydrogen aircraft by 2035. Three initial concepts, all named “ZEROe”, include:

• a turbofan design with a range of 2,000+ miles and capable of carrying 120-200 customers, powered by a modified gas-turbine engine running on hydrogen;
• a turboprop design with a range of upwards of 1,000 miles, capable of carrying up to 100 passengers over short-haul trips, also powered by a modified gas-turbine engine running on hydrogen; and
• a blended-wing body concept for carrying up to 200 passengers, having wings which merge with the aircraft body for greater flexibility in hydrogen storage, distribution and cabin layout.

Challenges with the use of hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels, across all transport modes, remain. Hydrogen supply, infrastructure, engine modifications and on-vehicle storage are just some areas in which further development and innovation are clearly required. However, pilot projects like the above are certainly a welcome step in the right direction.

The hydrogen economy as a whole provides numerous different avenues for innovation and generation of intellectual property. From hydrogen production (e.g. electrolysers), storage, infrastructure, and engine modifications (to name just some possibilities), the opportunities for innovation in the field are rife.