Brussels, 6 June 2024
At the aerospace exhibition ILA Berlin, the Alliance for Zero-Emission Aviation (AZEA) has launched its vision on enabling hydrogen and electricity-powered flights in Europe. Through this vision, published in a report, the aviation ecosystem shows that it is determined to become more climate-friendly and to invest in the technologies of the future.
The vision sets the ambitious objective of having 36 to 68% of intra-EU flights operated by such hydrogen – and electricity – powered aircrafts by 2050 and describes how they would progressively enter and expand in the market. According to the Alliance, the total renewable and low carbon energy required to operate those flights in 2050 (not including the energy required for producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel) is estimated to 78 to 198 TWh/y of electricity used either for the propulsion of electric aircraft or for the production of 1.2 to 2.9 Mt/y hydrogen required by hydrogen aircraft, which would correspond to 1.1 to 2.8% of the gross electricity generation foreseen by 2050. The Alliance estimates that aircrafts powered by hydrogen or electricity could reduce aviation CO2 emissions on intra-EU routes by 12 to 31% in 2050.
AZEA was launched by the Commission as a voluntary initiative of private and public partners who aim to prepare the entry into commercial service of hydrogen-powered and electric aircrafts. The Alliance gathers representatives from aircraft manufacturers, airlines, airports, energy companies and fuel providers, standardisation and certification agencies, passenger and environment interest groups, and regulators.
More information available here.