The first hydrogen-powered airplane in history has arrived in the transportation sector . From now on, routes will run on water. Not long ago, inventions like the hydrogen engine were unthinkable. Mobility was covered by fossil fuels, which proved to be very efficient. However, time has shown that the price to pay for that efficiency was too high.
Climate change and global warming are leading the world to explore new alternatives beyond fossil fuels. A large number of companies are studying the possibility of including hydrogen as a fuel of the future. Thus, both car manufacturers and other vehicle producers are working to develop efficient hydrogen engines or more advanced methods of obtaining green hydrogen. Airplanes are no exception.
It is the simplest and most abundant chemical element in the universe, but on Earth it is difficult to find it in its free form. It usually appears combined with oxygen in water. It holds great potential to lead us to a more sustainable future, less dependent on fossil fuels, given its cleanliness (in sustainable terms), high efficiency, and versatility.
Airbus launches a hydrogen-powered aircraft
Airbus is determined to bring to market an aircraft that runs on hydrogen in flight . This could represent a significant leap forward in terms of more efficient and less polluting air travel. In 2020, Airbus presented the ZEROe program , a proposal focused on creating zero-emission aircraft.
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This initiative encompasses a range of aircraft that use hydrogen as fuel to power electric motors, aiming for more sustainable, low-carbon aviation. This is one of the most important goals airlines hope to achieve, as the aviation sector is one of the most polluting in terms of transportation.
Under these circumstances, he presented three prototypes to the world: a turboprop designed for regional flights, a hybrid turboprop for medium-range flights, and another focused on long-distance flights. The goal was to definitively eliminate CO2 emissions and achieve a level of transportation efficiency never before seen.
Today, the first electric motor powered by a hydrogen fuel cell has been ignited . This is a definitive milestone in Airbus’s ZEROe program , and also underscores the importance of airlines and aircraft manufacturers transitioning to renewable energy.
Inventions like this demonstrate that the use of hydrogen is becoming a key point for the ecological transition.
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Hydrogen-powered airplane: the invention with which Airbus plans to go far
But Airbus wants to go a step further and really wants to implement these hydrogen fuel cells inside its Airbus A380s for ground and flight testing, with the goal of achieving a fully hydrogen -powered aircraft . There is still a long way to go, as the target date is 2030. The main problem is that the aircraft would become very heavy using this system.
For this reason, new, lighter ways to achieve the same result are being investigated. Ultimately, the first hydrogen-powered airplane in history comes from Airbus , a company that envisions a different kind of aviation, with a clear path toward a cleaner, greener, and healthier future. If the arrival of hydrogen in this aircraft has surprised you, you can’t miss what the first supersonic hydrogen engine can do.
NOTE – This article was originally published in Ecoticias and can be viewed here
