Airbus has given itself five years to develop a plane that uses hydrogen in modified gas turbines to propel the engines and in fuel cells to create electrical power, according to Bloomberg. A classic commercial aircraft, a turboprop plane, and a new model that blends the wing into the jet’s body are under the pipeline of the world’s biggest plane maker, Airbus.
- Airbus executives believe hydrogen is the most promising energy type to power aircraft and aviation and doesn’t pollute the sky.
- Hydrogen planes would make air travel more eco-friendly even as the aviation industry added more than 1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere in 2019
- Airbus has the backing of its major shareholders, French, Spanish, and German governments, who have pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050
- Hydrogen-powered planes remain a challenge since it presents difficulties in storing the gas as more of it is needed to power the aircraft.
- Airbus is considering other solutions, including putting the gas in pods under the wing or in the cheeks underneath the aircraft or using liquefied hydrogen, which takes up less space.
- If the project goes well, the company expects its first hydrogen aircraft to start flying passengers in 2035
Airbus stock is currently gaining. AIR is up 1.68%
