In 2020, Airbus unveiled three ZEROe concept airliner designs: a turbofan, a turboprop and a blended-wing body. Credit: Airbus
Key Takeaways:
Major aviation players, led by Airbus and Embraer, are actively developing hydrogen-powered aircraft with targets for commercial service by 2035, while some airlines are investing in hydrogen-electric retrofits for regional jets for earlier deployment.
Significant challenges remain, including designing aircraft for liquid hydrogen's unique storage requirements, scaling up "green" hydrogen production via renewable energy, and building the necessary airport infrastructure.
The successful transition to hydrogen aviation will require extensive collaboration across the industry, substantial investment to overcome current cost disparities, and coordinated efforts to certify new technologies and establish the entire ecosystem.
At least two major aircraft manufacturers are considering new concept designs for transport category airplanes powered by hydrogen, but as aviation tries to shift to sustainable, zero-emission fuels, skeptics have a few questions.
First, how likely are hydrogen-powered airliners in the near future?
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Thom is a former senior editor for FLYING. Previously, his freelance reporting appeared in aviation industry magazines. Thom also spent three decades as a TV and digital journalist at CNN’s bureaus in Washington and Atlanta, eventually specializing in aviation. He has reported from air shows in Oshkosh, Farnborough and Paris. Follow Thom on Twitter @thompatterson.
