Airbus has been a leader in hydrogen aircraft for a long time, and it is working on three new hydrogen-powered planes that will be ready in the next two to three years.
It has recently teamed up with CFM International to use a converted A380 with a hydrogen combustible engine. This is a big step in the development of these planes. GlobalData, the world’s top data and analytics company, says this program will work on hydrogen combustion technology instead of using hydrogen to power fuel cells. This is a different path than other companies are taking, which GlobalData says is a good one.
William Davies, Associate Analyst at GlobalData comments: “The development of this engine will be critical to Airbus’ ongoing ZEROe program, which aims to produce a commercial hydrogen aircraft by 2035. This partnership will expand Airbus’ technical capabilities and will enhance hydrogen’s disruptive capabilities, which may end in the replacement or overhaul of existing commercial aircraft. Given that Airbus do not manufacture engines for its own aircraft, this partnership indicates that it sees CFM as being a strong candidate for production of hydrogen powered engines.”
GlobalData’s report, “Hydrogen Aircraft (Market Size, Advancements, and Key Programs),” says that hydrogen could be a viable alternative fuel in the aerospace industry, but there are a lot of issues that need to be worked out before it can be used in planes. This report also says that Airbus is a big player in the field because it is one of the few companies that is investing in the technology specifically for commercial planes.
Davies adds: “Hydrogen aircraft are relatively far from realization. Although several companies including ZeroAvia have managed to conduct short flights powered by hydrogen, but they are far from the scale required to power a jet such as the A380. This aircraft was likely selected due to the large amount of internal space necessary for carrying a hydrogen fuel source.
“Hydrogen aircraft are only one source of sustainable aviation, but Airbus’s investment in this sector puts the company at odds with competitors including Boeing which has focused more on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from sources including food waste. Boeing’s concern is likely that hydrogen is less viable than SAF, and that SAF can be utilized by existing aircraft whilst hydrogen will require the creation of new models to enable it.”
Hydrogen has some way to go to reach viability, but this partnership shows that Airbus is committed to its development and confident that it will be a market changing force.
