Aerospace giant Airbus and aircraft engine manufacturer MTU Aero Engines announced the launch of a new joint venture focused on the development and commercialization of the first hydrogen-based fuel cell propulsion system for commercial aircraft.
The aviation industry accounts for approximately 2-3% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with that figure potentially rising dramatically over the coming decades if no action is taken. Several initiatives are being pursued in order to address the climate impact of the industry, typically involving efforts to improve aircraft efficiency, develop sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), or create aircraft utilizing low or zero carbon propulsion systems such as electric or hydrogen-based.
While many initiatives are currently targeting areas allowing for more rapid sector decarbonization, such as electrified propulsion or SAF, hydrogen is viewed by some in the industry as a more promising long-term solution, given its potential to be produced through carbon-free methods, and its energy attributes, containing significantly more energy per weight than jet fuel.
Airbus has committed to develop a commercially viable hydrogen aircraft, and in 2020 launched its “ZEROe” program in 2020, exploring the feasibility of hydrogen propulsion technologies, based on either hydrogen combustion and hydrogen fuel cells.
While Airbus announced last year that it had delayed its plans to develop a hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2035 due to slower than anticipated development of the hydrogen ecosystem and technologies, it subsequently reconfirmed its commitment to develop a hydrogen-powered aircraft, and that it had selected fuel cell technology from a series of methods explored as the propulsion method for the new aircraft.
Bruno Fichefeux, Head of Future Programmes at Airbus, said:
“By pooling our respective technology and expertise into a dedicated entity, we are establishing a European powerhouse capable of transforming advanced research into industrialised, certifiable electric propulsion systems. This new company will help secure strategic sovereignty in the next generation of aviation technologies while strengthening our ability to achieve the long-term ZEROe ambition.”
Hydrogen fuel cell technology generates electricity through an electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, producing only water vapour as a byproduct. The technology eliminates inflight emissions of CO2 and nitrogen oxide and contributes to reducing aviation’s climate impact.
Under the new agreement, the companies will establish a dedicated entity focused on accelerating the development, testing, certification and commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell-based propulsion systems for aviation.
Airbus will provide its commercial aircraft program knowledge and fuel cell propulsion and liquid hydrogen expertise, while MTU will contribute its multi-year fuel cell technology development and engine design, integration, validation and certification as well as maintenance expertise.
MTU said it has already achieved several milestones in the development of hydrogen-powered propulsion systems, including the completion of the design for the company’s Flying Fuel Cell, beginning stack manufacturing for the demonstrator, successfully testing its eMoSys electric motor for the first time, and launching operations at its first fuel cell test facility in Munich.
Stefan Weber, SVP Engineering and Technology at MTU Aero Engines, said:
“This project is a crucial milestone on our path to the first hydrogen-powered engine – and this is true European technology leadership. To that end, we want to create a company that covers the entire life cycle of fuel cell powertrains – from development and testing through certification to commercialisation.”
