Flying High with Hydrogen

July 19, 2022

Net-zero commitments are growing in number and scope across industries as clean energy technologies advance and create new opportunities to decrease carbon emissions. Innovations of hydrogen technologies are no exception. A recent paper outlined a path for the aviation sector to reach net zero by 2050, with aircrafts powered by hydrogen playing a critical role in reaching that goal. Notably, the paper also underscores the fact that hydrogen aircrafts’ benefits will be greater the earlier they enter the market – with projections predicting commercial viability for some technologies as soon as 2030.

How hydrogen can pilot a low-carbon future

Current aircraft rely on kerosene-based fuel to operate; the hydrocarbon fuel is burned to create hot, high-pressure air that propels the aircraft forward in a process that emits both water vapor and carbon dioxide – 10% of the United States’ transportation emissions, to be specific. While the aviation industry has been working to develop sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), those fuels are still carbon-based and have similar drawbacks as kerosene. Hydrogen, on the other hand, emits no carbon when burned.

Incredibly, hydrogen’s lack of carbon content is not its only benefit – when compared to kerosene, liquid hydrogen contains 2.5 times more energy per kilogram, and hydrogen combustion produces 90% fewer nitrogen oxides. This means that hydrogen burns cleaner and has a higher energy-to-weight ratio than standard aviation fuel, facts that have inspired significant investments in developing hydrogen aircrafts. One of the potential drawbacks of using liquid hydrogen is the weight associated with the tanks necessary to keep hydrogen at -423 degrees Fahrenheit to keep it liquid. This challenge could potentially be overcome by technological advancements and aircraft design.

Hydrogen investments are taking off

Clean energy projections show hydrogen aircrafts can make up one-third of the global market by 2050, and the industry is working to outpace those goals with incredible advancements being made right here in the United States. In 2022 alone, California startup ZeroAvia expects to test a 19-seat hydrogen fuel cell aircraft, and Los Angeles-based Universal Hydrogen plans to test a 1-megawatt fuel-cell powertrain in a 40-passenger plane in September.

Notably, hydrogen investments are not limited to just startups, or just one country, as major aviation players see the benefits of the clean fuel across the globe. Hydrogen producer Linde has partnered with Airbus – the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer – to create hydrogen infrastructure at airports worldwide, with the goal of enabling the start of a zero-emission commercial aircraft industry by as early as 2035. Investments like these highlight the commercial focus of current innovation: hydrogen aircrafts are not expected to be a unique, specialty vehicle; rather, they are expected to become a key player in air travel with supporting infrastructure widely available.

Leading U.S. aerospace company Boeing is also in the mix, researching hydrogen fuel cell and combustion aircraft in crewed and uncrewed aircrafts. In February 2022, Boeing successfully tested a hydrogen cryotank with a 16,000-gallon capacity – enough energy to fuel a typical regional jet. While still in development, the innovations are exciting moves toward commercial usage, and interest from industry leaders demonstrate high expectations in hydrogen’s ability to deliver.

Though commercially viable aircrafts are still under development, the technical benefits of hydrogen as a clean fuel showcase incredible opportunity to decarbonize a major industry, with commercialization in sight. Commitments from industry leaders underscore the widespread understanding of hydrogen’s role in aviation’s low-carbon future, while reinforcing the energy carrier’s reputation as a key tool in the decarbonization of hard-to-abate industries.

Related News

03.19.24

Government approves millions for hydrogen-electric rail technology of the ‘future’: ‘Only very few rail lines in the US are electrified’

Government approves millions for hydrogen-electric rail technology of the ‘future’: ‘Only very few rail lines in the US...

CONTINUE READING >
03.15.24

Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Laboratory Vessel Arrives in Washington D.C.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is pleased to welcome the Energy Observer to a stopover visit in...

CONTINUE READING >
03.13.24

Biden targets freight emissions in infrastructure push

The Biden administration has unveiled a detailed road map to help spur build-out of charging and hydrogen refueling...

CONTINUE READING >