Boeing and Airbus: A Stark Contrast on Hydrogen

Boeing acknowledges hydrogen’s potential, while Airbus plans a hydrogen-fueled airliner by 2035.

Thom Patterson

Tuesday, July 05, 2022 at 02:19 PM ET

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Boeing has committed that its commercial airplanes will be capable of burning 100 percent SAF by 2030. [Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

Boeing's latest sustainability report heavily emphasizes improved efficiency and the widespread adoption of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) as its primary strategy for reducing aviation carbon emissions in the coming decades.
The report details specific achievements and commitments, including reaching net-zero CO2 emissions at manufacturing facilities, increasing renewable electricity use, and committing its commercial airplanes to be 100% SAF-capable by 2030.
In contrast to Airbus's more aggressive and detailed plans for hydrogen fuel, Boeing's report offers limited specifics on its vision for hydrogen as an alternative, acknowledging ongoing research but maintaining a cautious stance on its immediate viability.

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Boeing’s new sustainability report talks a lot about improved efficiency and the use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), but—while Airbus is aggressively researching hydrogen fuel technologies—the Boeing report doesn’t include many details about its vision for using hydrogen as an alternative fuel.

The report stands in stark contrast to Airbus’s announcement last February—in partnership with GE Aviation and CFM International—to “flight test a direct combustion engine fueled by hydrogen in preparation for entry into service of a zero-emission aircraft by 2035.”