Photo: GKN Aerospace
When two important players in the aviation industry team up for advanced hydrogen technology, we can only expect good things. They have already taken serious steps towards carbon-neutral flights, and now they’re ready to take things to the next level.
easyJet claims to be the first major airline in the world that has reduced carbon emissions from the fuel used for all of its flights in 2019 and the only one in Europe that continues to do so, with no additional costs for customers. However, this was only the first step, as the company plans to achieve the net-zero emissions target by 2050. In fact, it hopes to start operating only hydrogen-electric and electric airplanes as soon as 2035.
Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, and Wright Electric are some of easyJet’s main partners on the road to zero-emissions flights. Another important name recently joined them. GKN Aerospace is a Swedish company that’s working on not just one but two hydrogen-related technology projects.
H2Jet is a national collaborative program led by GKN to develop essential subsystems for gas turbine-based hydrogen propulsion systems. This hydrogen propulsion technology would then be implemented on medium-range civilian aircraft.
H2Gear, on the other hand, is a UK collaborative program that focuses on fuel cell development at a wider scale. H2Gear is supposed to develop a liquid hydrogen propulsion system specifically for sub-regional aircraft and even larger ones later on. This major project has already received millions from the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) in the UK, as well as from GKN and its industrial partners.
Based on this new collaboration, the airline will support GKN on both of these projects. It will provide help with the operational and financial requirements for hydrogen-powered commercial flights, as well as support the upcoming flight demonstrations.
While SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) is seen as the most convenient and efficient way of cutting CO2 emissions at the moment, hydrogen technology is heralded as the best solution in the long run. It will take time to get there, but joined efforts such as this new collaboration are trying to speed things up.
Airbus, Rolls-Royce, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, and Wright Electric are some of easyJet’s main partners on the road to zero-emissions flights. Another important name recently joined them. GKN Aerospace is a Swedish company that’s working on not just one but two hydrogen-related technology projects.
H2Jet is a national collaborative program led by GKN to develop essential subsystems for gas turbine-based hydrogen propulsion systems. This hydrogen propulsion technology would then be implemented on medium-range civilian aircraft.
H2Gear, on the other hand, is a UK collaborative program that focuses on fuel cell development at a wider scale. H2Gear is supposed to develop a liquid hydrogen propulsion system specifically for sub-regional aircraft and even larger ones later on. This major project has already received millions from the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) in the UK, as well as from GKN and its industrial partners.
Based on this new collaboration, the airline will support GKN on both of these projects. It will provide help with the operational and financial requirements for hydrogen-powered commercial flights, as well as support the upcoming flight demonstrations.
While SAF (sustainable aviation fuel) is seen as the most convenient and efficient way of cutting CO2 emissions at the moment, hydrogen technology is heralded as the best solution in the long run. It will take time to get there, but joined efforts such as this new collaboration are trying to speed things up.
Google News