Airbus has signed a cooperation agreement for hydrogen hub with Changi Airport Group, global industrial gases and engineering company Linde and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).
The agreement was signed at the Singapore Airshow by Sabine Klauke, Airbus Chief Technical Officer, Han Kok Juan, Director-General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Yam Kum Weng, Executive Vice President of Changi Airport Group, and John Panikar, Executive Vice President, APAC of Linde.
The hub agreement formalises the partners’ shared ambition to leverage their respective expertise to support the decarbonisation of the aviation industry and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The partners will explore how hydrogen can be transported, stored and delivered to aircraft at existing and new airports. The new agreement widens the scope of an earlier agreement and now includes the evaluation of hydrogen infrastructures.
“Making climate-neutral a reality”
Airbus will provide characteristics on aircraft configuration and fleet energy usage, insight on hydrogen-powered aircraft for ground operations, and data on the estimated hydrogen aircraft ramp-up at airports.
Sabine Klauke, Airbus Chief Technical Officer, said: “The Asia-Pacific region will play a key role as we work towards making climate-neutral aviation a reality. By partnering with Changi Airport and with Incheon Airport, Airbus will leverage the operational and technical expertise of two of the world’s leading hubs. The studies we will carry out together reflect the need for a cross-sectoral approach, including manufacturers, airlines, regulators, airports, energy providers and academia. We need bold and coordinated action to achieve our goals.”
The use of hydrogen within future aircraft designs is not only expected to reduce significantly aircraft emissions, but could also help decarbonise ground and sea based transport. Airbus launched the “Hydrogen Hub at Airports” programme in 2020 to jumpstart research into infrastructure requirements and low-carbon airport operations, across the value chain. The company has signed agreements with partners and airports in Paris, Seoul and Singapore.
Video: How Airbus, Air Liquide and VINCI Airports use a partnership approach to promote the use of hydrogen and build the European airport network to accommodate the aircraft of the future
