Hydrogen-powered eco-friendly aircraft likely to be flown by 2028

Hydrogen-powered eco-friendly aircraft likely to be flown by 2028
Amsterdam: The world’s first commercial hydrogen-fueled passenger plane could be flown from Rotterdam to London within the next six years under a short-haul flight plan to make air travel more environmentally friendly. ۔

The 2028 target set by Dutch company Airbus is a very encouraging step. One and a half years ago, Airbus was the first company to propose to build zero-carbon and hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2035.

The only thing that is released from burning hydrogen as a fuel is water vapor, which makes it a clean fuel for heavy vehicles such as ships, trains and trucks. However, the process of making hydrogen can only be clean if the energy used in it is renewable.
This Dutch technology will be used in the initial stages of a 40- to 80-seat turboprop aircraft. But later it can also be used in large passenger planes.

Michael Van Ireland, from a consortium formed by Unified International and the Dutch local economic agency Innovation Quarter, said the project would open the door to a 16 billion euro market for the Netherlands.

He said the technology would be interesting for Scandinavia and New Zealand, where people are still focusing on electronic technology for short distances.

The use of hydrogen will require the restructuring of aircraft because liquid hydrogen has to be stored in heavier and safer tanks than existing tanks. While conventional fuel is stored in the wings of the ship, the hydrogen capsule of this Dutch aircraft will be placed in the tail of the ship.