Summary
- Airbus partners with ATL, Delta, and Plug Power to review the feasibility of hydrogen as a future aircraft fuel option at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
- The study will conclude in 2026 and assess infrastructure, operational viability, and security requirements for a possible hydrogen-based hub at ATL.
- Airbus is working with other airports to know the hydrogen supply needs.
With the aviation industry in search of alternatives to traditional fuel, Airbus is partnering with some airports to review the opportunity of hydrogen becoming a viable future option. It recently joined forces with the world’s busiest airport—Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport—together with Delta Air Lines and Plug Power to conduct a study regarding this.
Airbus partners with Atlanta airport
Airbus will study the feasibility of hydrogen powering future aircraft in its attempt to search out cleaner fuels to eliminate aircraft CO2 emissions. To do that, it has partnered with Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Delta Air Lines, and Plug Power, a number one provider of kit and end-to-end, turnkey solutions for the worldwide green hydrogen economy.
The study will assess the opportunity of having a hydrogen-based hub at ATL. It was preliminarily launched earlier this 12 months and can look into the infrastructure, operational viability, and safety and security requirements needed to implement hydrogen as a possible fuel source for future aircraft operations at ATL.
Photo: Airbus
This partnership also goals to know the availability and infrastructure requirements for hydrogen hubs at airports worldwide. Karine Guénan, Airbus’ Vice President ZEROe Ecosystem, commented,
Scheduled for completion in 2026
The study shall be carried out for the following two years and conclude at the tip of 2026. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will provide the present airport layout plan and organization and share updates on future developments and findings. If hydrogen is found to be a viable fuel alternative, ATL will look into options to update the infrastructure needed to implement the brand new technology.
Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock
Delta has been a partner within the Airbus ZEROe program for a few years, and this study will further its commitment to solving industry sustainability challenges. Plug Power can even play a vital role because it is constructing an end-to-end green hydrogen ecosystem, including the manufacture of electrolyzers, fuel cells, and hydrogen facilities across the US to decarbonize various industries.
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Other airport partners
ATL is certainly one of several airports Airbus partnered with to review the opportunity of organising hydrogen hubs. In Canada, Airbus and ZeroAvia have signed three respective Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with the country’s three busiest airports: Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL), Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), and Vancouver International Airport (YVR).
Photo: Airbus
Within the US, the European plane maker has also partnered with Houston Airports and the Center for Houston’s Future (CHF), signing an MoU to review the feasibility of a hydrogen hub at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
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