European aircraft manufacturer Airbus and a global industrial gases and engineering company Linde have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (Mou) to cooperate on the development of hydrogen infrastructure project for airports across the world.
Both companies will demonstrate two pilot hydrogen infrastructure projects at several airports in early 2023.
“We are advancing well with hydrogen as an important technology pathway to achieve our ambition of bringing a zero-emission commercial aircraft to market by 2035,” Sabine Klauke, chief technical officer at Airbus, said.
Klauke added: “Building the infrastructure is just as crucial. That’s why we are working closely with partners like Linde, who have decades of experience and expertise worldwide in the storage and distribution of hydrogen.”
Airbus has also been involved in the development of hydrogen-powered aircraft. In February 2022, Airbus revealed that it will use its Airbus A380 aircraft to test hydrogen propulsion systems. The A380 flight demonstrator is expected to fly around 2025.
Modern aircraft use kerosene and gasoline as fuel, producing harmful emissions. Developing a new type of fuel, for example hydrogen, could help the airline industry draw nearer to its target of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
According to a study released in 2020, aircraft powered by hydrogen could enter commercial service as soon as 2035.