UK Hydrogen in Aviation alliance established

A new group of companies “Hydrogen in Aviation” has been established with a goal of accelerating zero carbon aviation.
The UK Hydrogen in Aviation alliance (HIA) is a group of leading companies that has been tasked with speeding up the delivery of zero carbon in aviation.

Mapping out the future of Carbon Zero in Aviation

Designed to help create a roadmap for key achievements in infrastructure, policy and regulation it features some big names. HIA is made up from leading companies from various elements of the industry, to ensure it’s ability to bring all the required viewpoints to the table.

The announced group currently consists of Rolls-Royce, Airbus, Ørsted, GKN Aerospace and easyJet as well as Bristol Airport. The three areas they are to focus on are:

• Delivery of infrastructure to ensure the UK is a global leader in Zero Carbon aviation
• Ensuring the regulation and supporting agencies are informed and prepared for hydrogen power
• Transforming and energising funding for hydrogen aviation research and development, as well as delivering a 10 year programme.

Comments from the partners

Johan Lundgren, CEO of easyJet and first Chair of HIA, said: “There is no doubt that the UK has the potential to become a world leader in hydrogen aviation, which could bring with it a £34bn per annum boost to the country’s economy by 2050, but in order to capture this opportunity, rapid change is needed and the time to act is now.”

“We must work together to deliver the radical solutions required for a hard to abate industry like aviation so we can protect and maximise the benefits that it brings to the UK economy and society and that we know British consumers want to be preserved.”

“HIA looks forward to working with the UK Government to ensure the right funding, regulatory and policy changes are implemented to accelerate the delivery of zero carbon aviation.”

Sabine Klauke, Chief Technology Officer at Airbus said: “As Airbus continues to mature the aircraft technologies needed to deliver hydrogen-powered flight, a united industry voice is needed to secure a robust ecosystem of renewably-sourced hydrogen.”

“Joining our peers from across the UK aviation landscape in a targeted approach to policy and investment action brings us closer to a decarbonised future of flying.”

Further comments from partners

Olivia Breese, Senior Vice President and Head of Power-to-X for Ørsted, commented: “Ørsted is fully committed to renewable hydrogen as a key solution to defossilise hard-to-electrify sectors such as aviation.”

“Our long experience in developing and deploying new technologies has taught us that collaboration across policy makers, developers, customers and supply chain – and considerable investment from each of them – is critical to bring down costs and drive a new sector to scale.”

“Alliances such as the HIA are essential to bring together different actors across the value chain to support and accelerate the role hydrogen can, and must, play in the UK.”

Grazia Vittadini, Chief Technology Officer at Rolls-Royce, said: “Collaboration is key when it comes to achieving our net zero ambitions as an industry, which is why we are proud to be part of the Hydrogen in Aviation Alliance.”

“Our contribution to HIA is the capability and experience we have in pioneering new technologies and solutions – we have already tested a modern aero engine on green hydrogen and we strongly believe it is one of the solutions that will help decarbonise aviation in the mid to long-term.”

The research done thus far leads the belief that hydrogen powered aviation will be as profitable as much as it will be essential in reaching a goal of carbon zero in the industry.

Read the full announcement available from Airbus here.