Hydrogen infrastructure considered at airports

Airbus, Avinor, SAS, Swedavia and Vattenfall have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to investigate the feasibility of a hydrogen infrastructure at airports in Sweden and Norway. 

The cooperation will provide better understanding of hydrogen aircraft concepts and operations, supply, infrastructures and refueling needs at airports in order to help develop this hydrogen aviation ecosystem in both countries.

The work will also identify the pathways to select which airports will be transformed first to operate hydrogen-powered aircraft in both countries as well as the accompanying regulatory framework.

It is the first time a feasibility study of this kind covers two countries and more than 50 airports with hope the plans will help with achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Guillaume Faury, CEO Airbus, said: “Hydrogen stands out as a key enabler as we pioneer a sustainable aviation future. Norway and Sweden are among the most demanding regions for aviation and have great potential for hydrogen production from renewable energy sources. I am very pleased to enter into this cooperation with partners fully engaged to take significant steps towards decarbonising aerospace. It fits perfectly with our strategy of deploying hydrogen aviation ecosystems in the most suitable parts of the world.”

Abraham Foss, CEO Avinor said: “Hydrogen is emerging as a key energy carrier in future fossil free aviation. Our dialogue with Airbus concerning the decarbonization of aviation goes several years back and we are very happy to be able to announce this collaboration together with our good neighbors in Sweden. Norway, as well as Sweden, is well positioned to be an early mover in the introduction of hydrogen-powered aircraft. We look forward to contributing with our expertise as well as infrastructure to bring this important work forward.”

SAS’ President & CEO Anko van der Werff, said: “By partnering with some of the strongest and most innovative players in the industry, we are assuming our responsibility to drive the transition towards achieving net-zero emissions. A journey that matters not just for SAS, but for the entire aviation industry.”

Jonas Abrahamsson, Swedavia’s president and CEO, said: “Hydrogen is expected to gradually become an increasing part of the aviation industry’s fuel mix in the future and will therefore have an increasing effect on the infrastructure and planning of our airports. This partnership is a major and important step towards fossil-free aviation in the Nordic region and will further strengthen Swedavia’s role as a front-runner in fossil-free aviation, while at the same time taking another important step in the transition within the aviation industry.”

Anna Borg, President and CEO, Vattenfall, said: “We want to enable industry decarbonization. Aviation is a hard to abate industry where breaking away from fossil fuels is a huge challenge today. This cross border collaboration however demonstrates the willingness to bring about change. We look forward to contributing with expertise in electricity market development, electrical infrastructure, and hydrogen production in Sweden.”

Image courtesy of Airbus

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