Singapore partners with Airbus to explore hydrogen use in aviation

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has partnered with French aerospace giant Airbus to explore the use of hydrogen in the aviation sector as part of continued efforts by the industry to cut emissions.

The two signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the distribution and production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) as well as economic viability and regulatory needs as the battered sector looks for sustainable methods to recover from the coronavirus pandemic and pushes for greener flights.

Read more: US to target net-zero aviation emissions

The pandemic ground the entire travel sector to a screeching halt, causing nearly 18 months of grounded or delayed flights and significantly reduced demand.

The sector, which currently accounts for around 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions, is considered a "high priority" to decarbonise owing to the great investment and innovation that will be required, as well as the sheer volume of traffic the sector receives annually.

The first project to be undertaken by the duo involves a feasibility study into setting up an airport hydrogen hub as well as the infrastructure requirements to support future hydrogen-powered aircraft, which is set to run for two years starting in 2022.

“Decarbonisation is a key priority for international aviation", Han Kok Juan, CAAS director-general said in a statement. "Recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic will not be a return to business-as-usual but an opportunity to rebuild an aviation sector that is more sustainable."

He suggested a push towards sustainable aviation which would require collaboration across multiple industrial sectors and may call for the "reinvention" of entire supply chains to support.

"It is not a question of whether but of how to make flying greener and developing concrete pathways to achieve that goal while ensuring that air travel is still accessible", he added.

Airbus has already unveiled concepts for hydrogen-powered jets, which it hopes can take to the skies by 2035. Having existing concepts could reduce a significant amount of leg work for powering zero-emission flight.

Read more: Airbus unveils plans for zero-emission hydrogen-powered jets

Depending on the model, these could stand to carry as many as 200 passengers. Unlike traditionally powered jets, the only by-product of using hydrogen as a fuel is water vapour, meaning there is comparatively little pollution. 

The group's CTO, Sabine Klauke, reaffirmed these goals.

"Airbus is committed to leading the decarbonisation of the aviation sector and aims to deliver the world’s first zero-emission commercial aircraft by 2035," she said.

"The decarbonisation of our industry requires a combination of approaches, hydrogen being one of them, and will need unprecedented cross-sector collaboration to create the new aviation infrastructure ecosystem. We are therefore pleased to have CAAS as a partner, as we embark on this exciting journey," she added.

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