The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has released a new study that concludes that with policy support, hydrogen-powered aircraft could reduce emissions from passenger aviation and “look surprisingly viable from a design standpoint.”
According to the ICCT, starting in 2035, liquid hydrogen combustion aircraft could provide carbon-free air travel for up to a third of global passenger demand. According to the study, aircraft powered by “green hydrogen” derived from renewable energy could fly up to 3400 kilometers at a lower cost than sustainable aviation fuel.
To reduce carbon emissions, easyJet advocates for the use of hydrogen in short-haul aviation. The airline joined Race to Zero in November, a global UN-backed campaign to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. To achieve this goal, carbon-free flying technology, such as hydrogen, will be critical.
The airline wholeheartedly agrees with the ICCT’s conclusion that “significant government support will be required to make hydrogen aircraft work,” and that “they deserve a level playing field alongside ‘drop-in’ sustainable aviation fuels, which remain scarce and expensive.”
easyJet has been advocating for industry and government collaboration to develop policies that will encourage the development of hydrogen-powered aircraft, as well as the necessary technology, infrastructure, and green hydrogen production.
easyJet CEO Johan Lundgren stated: “We welcome the findings of this important report by the ICCT, which shows that carbon-free flight is possible over shorter ranges, something we have long argued. Hydrogen is an opportunity for British and European aviation, so we continue to urge governments to quickly put incentives in place to support it, develop regional hydrogen infrastructure, and level the playing field with sustainable aviation fuels.”
EasyJet has long advocated for the development of carbon-free aircraft to decarbonize aviation, and the airline is working with industry partners such as Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, and Wright Electric to accelerate the development of zero carbon emission technologies and the necessary infrastructure. The airline anticipates that it will be able to begin flying customers on carbon-free planes in the mid-2030s.
Meanwhile, easyJet is Europe’s only major airline that offsets the carbon emissions from all of its flights’ fuel. This comes at no extra cost to customers, and the airline only supports projects that are Gold Standard or Verified Carbon Standard certified. These initiatives reduce or remove carbon from the atmosphere. This is not a long-term solution, but we believe it is the best way to compensate for the carbon footprint of flying until new technologies like hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuels become widely available.
Beyond carbon, easyJet is focusing on waste reduction throughout its operations and supply chain, as well as plastic reduction. More than 36 million single-use plastic items were removed from in-flight operations by the end of 2021. In addition, the airline recently introduced new crew uniforms made of recycled plastic bottles. With 45 bottles in each uniform, this could save 2.7 million plastic bottles from ending up in landfills or the oceans over the next five years.
