London Gatwick joins Airbus’ global hydrogen hub network
Airbus, easyJet and Air Products have partnered with London Gatwick to provide liquid hydrogen and storage at the airport, which the aircraft manufacturer describes as “a powerful statement of commitment to making hydrogen-powered flight a reality by 2035”.
“Setting up the right infrastructure is key to enabling hydrogen flight and this partnership is yet another step towards making this a reality in the UK,” explains Airbus, which is intending to fly a hydrogen powered aircraft by 2035.
The scope of work to be carried out at the airport will include liquid hydrogen supply and storage, refuelling and ground handling, as well as “the exploration of other, shorter-term opportunities” for using the fuel.
With early aircraft iterations likely to initially focus on short to medium haul routes, “London Gatwick’s position as the UK’s leading hub for these services, along with easyJet’s operational insight as a short-haul carrier, makes this the ideal testbed for R&D into critical support infrastructure,” says Airbus.
“We’ve set ambitious targets to fly on hydrogen by 2035 and this technology needs to be supported by reliable and tested infrastructure,” said Airbus vice president ZEROe project Glenn Llewellyn. “Sharing knowledge and best practice at airports will be critical for building the right hydrogen ecosystem around the world”.
David Morgan, chief operating officer of easyJet, added that the Gatwick hub “demonstrates the industry’s intend to both adapt and work together to reach the common goal of decarbonising aviation;” concluding that when combined with support from regulators and policymakers, projects such as these could “act as the building blocks to prepare UK airports for a hydrogen transition”.
