The International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) has published a new study which finds that hydrogen-powered aircraft could cap emissions from passenger aviation and are “surprisingly viable from a design perspective”.
The ICCT claims liquid hydrogen combustion aircraft could provide carbon-free air travel on up to a third of global passenger demand starting in 2035. The study outlines that aircraft using “green hydrogen” produced from renewable energy could enable flights up to 3400 km at reduced fuel costs compared to other sustainable aviation fuels.
easyJet is advocating for the use of hydrogen in short-haul aviation to eliminate carbon emissions. In November, the airline joined Race to Zero, a global UN-backed campaign to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Hydrogen, and other technologies for carbon-free flying, will play a key role in order to achieve this goal.
easyJet says it fully supports the ICCT’s conclusion that “significant government support will be needed to make hydrogen aircraft work”. easyJet has been encouraging industry and government collaboration to develop policies to promote the development of hydrogen-powered aircraft.
Johan Lundgren, CEO of easyJet, said, “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.”
Discover more about the ICCT here
