Hydrogen Hubs at Airports

Bringing hydrogen stakeholders together

Hydrogen Hub at airport: ZEROe flying over the city of Houston

Developing a global hydrogen ecosystem

ECOSYSTEM INVESTMENT

Airbus’ fully electric aircraft, ZEROe, will use hydrogen fuel cells as a power source. Scalable and hydrogen powered, these fuel cells produce only water vapor as a byproduct of the chemical reaction that creates the electricity. However, in order for the fuel cells to be a carbon neutral solution for aviation, the hydrogen used must be made from electrolysis using renewable energy. Unfortunately, demand for this renewable hydrogen, also called green hydrogen, vastly exceeds the supply.

This is just one of the limiting factors that the Hydrogen Hubs at Airports programme seeks to address. In order for hydrogen-powered flight to become a reality, there is an entire ecosystem for renewable hydrogen that needs to be further developed, covering all the lifecycle steps from production and liquefaction to transport and storage. The programme thus brings together energy providers, airports, airlines and industry partners to look at how the roadblocks ahead can be tackled, and what investment will be needed to do so. 

EU Hydrogen Strategy

Producing, storing and transporting hydrogen

INDUSTRY COLLABORATION

Before hydrogen can make its way onto an aircraft, it needs to be produced using renewable energy, liquified and transported to airports. Airbus is working with energy, transport and infrastructure providers to examine several key questions: where and how will the green hydrogen be produced in large enough quantities? What are the costs and logistics of hydrogen supply and storage? What types of long-distance pipelines or road-based distribution networks would be necessary?

Hydrogen Hub at airport: ZEROe flying over Atlanta

Storing and distributing hydrogen at airports

WORLDWIDE COLLABORATION

Over 220 airports have signed on to the Hydrogen Hubs at Airports project, underlining their stake in the significant infrastructure investments that will be required to enable hydrogen operations and flight. Onsite hydrogen storage and distribution networks will need to be developed, and airports could reap additional benefits by using the hydrogen to fuel ground transportation and airport vehicles in addition to aircraft.

ZEROe flying over Madrid

Working closely with airlines

IN PURSUIT OF NET-ZERO

Airlines are important partners in developing a global hydrogen ecosystem, as they are able to serve as network catalysts for change in the industry. Hydrogen flight could help them meet their net-zero ambitions, and many airlines and lessors are interested in learning more about what infrastructure investments will be needed if they one day purchase and power hydrogen-powered aircraft. Delta Air Lines, Scandinavian Airlines (SAS), EasyJet, Wizz Air, Iberia, Air Nostrum, Air New Zealand, ANA, Korean Air and some undisclosed partners have all joined the Hydrogen Hubs at Airports programme. 

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