After supporting an initial capital raising to fund the planning study for the development of the green energy jet engine plane, investors have clearly demonstrated their belief in Aviation H2’s engineering-first approach.
“Hydrogen offers the first true pathway to decarbonising this sector, which excites the market,” Director Dr Helmut Mayer said.
Aviation H2 is convinced that Australia has the potential to become a global leader in this industry, which is expected to be worth US$174 billion by 2040.
The company intends to accomplish this by developing a cutting-edge method for converting a traditional aircraft into a hydrogen-fueled plane, allowing potential customers to modify existing aircraft rather than purchasing a new fleet. Aviation H2 is currently evaluating several carbon-free flight options and will present the most commercially viable option to its board of directors in mid-March. Within the next 18 months, they hope to have a plane in the sky.
As the world moves toward net zero emissions, hydrogen is widely regarded as the future fuel that will complement batteries. While batteries and electric vehicles appear to have taken an early lead in the consumer vehicle segment, hydrogen has been hailed as a superior option for commercial and heavier vehicles.
This is due to a combination of battery mass and long recharge times versus the ability of hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles to be refueled quickly – an undeniable benefit for vehicles that must be on the road to perform their jobs.
However, there is one mode of transportation where hydrogen has the upper hand: aviation, which accounts for 2% of global emissions. While batteries are certainly viable in propeller-driven planes, they aren’t even considered for long-distance flights. Batteries are simply too heavy for long-range aircraft, barring any major technological breakthroughs. As a result, green hydrogen is the only long-distance zero-emission option.
Although some work remains to be done before it is commercially viable, hydrogen’s energy density makes it the only viable alternative to jet fuel.
