Airbus Introduces Hydrogen-Fueled Aircraft for a Pollution-Free Flying Experience
Airbus, a global leader in aerospace technology, has embarked on an ambitious mission to develop the world's first zero-emission commercial aircraft powered by hydrogen. The project, known as the ZEROe program, is scheduled to enter service by around 2035.
The ZEROe concept relies primarily on cryogenic liquid hydrogen as its primary power source. This liquid hydrogen fuels onboard fuel cells, generating electricity to power the aircraft's electric propulsion systems. This approach avoids traditional fossil fuels, resulting in zero carbon emissions during flight, emitting only water vapor as exhaust.
Airbus has developed three concepts under the ZEROe umbrella: the Turbofan Design, the turboprop design, and the compound-wing body design. Each concept explores different technology pathways and aerodynamic configurations to support the decarbonization of the aviation industry.
The Turbofan Design concept, designed for 120-200 passengers, features a modified gas turbine engine powered by hydrogen instead of jet fuel. It boasts a range of over 2000 knots, making it capable of operating intercontinental flights. The turboprop design, suitable for short-distance travel, can travel at speeds over 1000 knots, using a turboprop engine for power, derived from hydrogen combustion in modified gas turbine engines. The compound-wing body design, designed for up to 200 passengers, combines wings with the main body of the aircraft and has a range similar to the turbofan concept.
Airbus has collaborated with industrial partners and invested in infrastructure readiness to support hydrogen propulsion. This includes adapting existing aircraft for hydrogen use and exploring ground support systems and regulatory frameworks. For example, Airbus and CFM International are modifying engines and equipping an A380 testbed with liquid hydrogen tanks to assess emissions and contrail formation under real flight conditions.
Key technical features of the ZEROe concepts include the use of cryogenic liquid hydrogen for energy density benefits and weight reduction, the integration of electric motors powered by hydrogen fuel cells, and radical new aircraft designs optimized for hydrogen propulsion systems.
The transition to hydrogen as the primary power source for these concept planes will require decisive action from the entire aviation ecosystem. Research and technology, digitalization, and mechanisms that encourage the use of sustainable fuels will be necessary to achieve these ambitious goals.
Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO, stated that the company aims to lead the transition to zero-emission flight and believes that the use of hydrogen has the potential to significantly reduce aviation's climate impact. He further stated that these concepts will help explore and mature the design and layout of the world's first climate-neutral, zero-emission commercial aircraft.
With government support, it's possible to scale-up renewable energy and hydrogen for the sustainable future of the aviation industry. This initiative is part of a broader effort to decarbonize aviation by leveraging hydrogen’s abundance and clean-burning characteristics, aiming to rewrite aviation’s environmental impact. Airbus believes that hydrogen is a clean aviation fuel and a solution that will meet the climate neutral goals of many other industries.
- The ZEROe program by Airbus, aiming to develop a zero-emission commercial aircraft powered by hydrogen, is supported by energy derived from renewable sources.
- The Turbofan Design concept, one of the three ZEROe designs, utilizes hydrogen as a replacement for jet fuel in a modified gas turbine engine, making it capable of operating intercontinental flights.
- The aviation industry's sustainable future may be realized through decisive action, including research and technology, digitalization, and the encouragement of sustainable fuel use, as well as the scalability of renewable energy and hydrogen.
- Guillaume Faury, CEO of Airbus, envisions hydrogen as a clean aviation fuel that can significantly reduce aviation's climate impact and help rewrite its environmental footprint.
