EasyJet, Airbus and Rolls-Royce launch new 'Hydrogen in Aviation' lobby group to accelerate zero-carbon flight
The alliance will ‘work to ensure the UK capitalises on the huge opportunity H2 presents’
Budget airline EasyJet, aircraft manufacturer Airbus and engine supplier Rolls-Royce have joined forces to establish a new “Hydrogen in Aviation” (HIA) alliance, with the aim to accelerate the delivery of zero-carbon flight, particular for short-haul.
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“HIA will work to ensure the UK capitalises on the huge opportunity hydrogen presents to both the aviation industry and country as a whole,” said a statement released by the partners.
“While there are various options for decarbonising the aviation sector, including sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), synthetic fuels or batteries, HIA believes that more attention should be paid to the potential of the direct use of hydrogen.”
This is why the HIA is focused on short-haul flights that would not necessarily require huge fuel tanks.
Danish renewables giant Orsted, aviation technology supplier GKN Aerospace and the UK’s Bristol Airport have also joined the HIA as founding members.
However, the leading small-scale hydrogen-aircraft developers — ZeroAvia and Universal Hydrogen — which have both conducted test flights using one hydrogen-powered engine combined with a conventional second engine, have not joined the HIA.
“The group will be drawing on their considerable expertise to propose a clear and deliverable pathway to achieving hydrogen-powered aviation,” says the group in its statement. “HIA will work constructively with Government, local authorities, and the aviation and hydrogen sectors to enable the UK to fulfil its potential as a global leader in this critical application of hydrogen technology.
“This will include setting out the pathway for scaling up the infrastructure and the policy, regulatory and safety frameworks needed so that large scale commercial aviation can become a reality.
“The alliance will set out that Government needs to be focused on three key areas which are; supporting the delivery of the infrastructure needed for the UK to be a global leader; ensuring the aviation regulatory regime is hydrogen ready; and transforming the funding for hydrogen aviation R&D support into a 10 year programme, if the UK is to see the economic benefits and meet decarbonisation targets.”
EasyJet CEO Johan Lundgren, who is also the first chairman of HIA, said that hydrogen aviation could boost the UK economy by £34bn ($42.7m) a year 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.”
Airbus chief technology officer Sabine Klauke added: “A united industry voice is needed to secure a robust ecosystem of renewably sourced hydrogen.”
As part of the HIA announcement, EasyJet said it commissioned a survey of 2,000 Brits last month, which found that 91% of respondents would support UK government investment in hydrogen production and usage in aviation, with 89% saying they think the use of hydrogen should be prioritised for hard-to-abate sectors such as aviation.
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