That’s it, Europe is moving to accelerate the implementation of liquid hydrogen in airports to power civil aviation. The project is quite ambitious and will extend over several years.
Hydrogen to replace kerosene in airliners is no longer just speculation. The decarbonization of this sector is a priority, and Europe is taking the lead in catalyzing this process. The ALRIGH2T project is launched, financed by the Horizon Europe program to the tune of 10 million euros. The objective? Ensure the effectiveness of liquid hydrogen supply solutions for aviation is demonstrated at several airports.
The project, planned to last four years, is led by ENEA (the Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development) and involves the collaboration of 21 partners from seven countries of the European Union and Israel.
Towards more sustainable aviation?
The Salzburger Aluminum Group is a member company of the consortium. She explains : ” The development of innovative airport solutions linked to liquid hydrogen constitutes a real challenge, particularly with regard to its handling “. Accelerating the decarbonization of the aviation sector is indeed a fairly Herculean undertaking.
The challenge is twofold: ensuring the safety of refueling with liquid hydrogen and developing an airport infrastructure compatible with hydrogen engines. Various techniques will be tested such as the exchange of hydrogen tanks, a solution being considered by the company Universal Hydrogen.
Standardization and implementation
The main challenge lies in the standardization of all liquid hydrogen refueling procedures and especially their adaptation to the specific constraints imposed by airports. “ To be adopted by airports, these solutions must guarantee the continuous supply of hydrogen to aircraft. We also need to define new standardization clauses and guidelines for their implementation and replication » explains Salzburger Aluminum Group.
Milan-Malpensa and a Paris airport, whose name is currently unknown, will be the first infrastructures to enter the trial phase. This initiative is the first of its kind and could well set the tone for the rest of the world if the results prove positive.
Source : H2 Mobile
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