JAKARTA - The giant European aircraft manufacturer, Airbus, is confident of being able to make hydrogen-powered airplanes within the next 15 years.
Airbus Chief Executive (CEO) Guillaume Faury said 2035 is a fair and realistic perspective for aircraft that will be operational during that time.
"We don't need to change the laws of physics to use hydrogen. Hydrogen has three times the energy density of kerosene (technically) made for aviation," he explained, citing The National News September 27.
The aviation industry is one of the biggest contributors to global warming. Politicians and activists have encouraged industry to use the slump and rebound caused by the pandemic as a driver for adopting climate change policies.
Across industries, companies want to reduce the carbon footprint of aircraft and the people flying on them.
Some 60 companies in the aviation sector have pledged to increase the share of sustainable aviation fuels in the industry to 10 percent by 2030.
A British Airways aircraft flying from London Heathrow to Glasgow Airport is powered directly by sustainable aviation fuel for ultra-low emission flights.
But Airbus' vision for hydrogen power, first reported by the Financial Times, is far more ambitious.
Speaking at an Airbus event in Toulouse, France, Faury said state and regulatory support would be needed to make the dream a reality.
"This (decarbonization) challenge isn't just about airplanes. It's about having the right fuel, hydrogen, at the right time, in the right place, at the right price and it's not something airlines can manage on their own," he explained.
His comments demonstrate Airbus' growing confidence that its goals are achievable despite the technical challenges
Separately, Sabine Klauke, Airbus chief technical officer (CTO) explained some of the constraints associated with flying with hydrogen, including hydrogen having to be liquefied and stored at -253°C.
The double-layered tanks needed to contain the substance are four times larger than conventional fuel storage, he said.
Meanwhile, climate change activists warn the biggest problem is tackling medium and long haul flights, where 73 percent of industrial emissions come from. And, that action is needed ahead of the hydrogen timeline.
"Time is of the essence and the solution requires a trillion-dollar replacement of aircraft and airport infrastructure. With technology that won't mature for a decade or two, it won't get you there," said Alan Epstein, a professor of aeronautics. .
David Joffe, from the UK's Climate Change Committee added, "We need a solution earlier than that."
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