Passenger Flights Powered by Hydrogen Instead Of Fuel To Take Off By 2028

In six years’ time, a flight between Rotterdam and London could be fueled by hydrogen. In the continuous effort to find sustainable solutions for the world around us, short-haul flights would soon be fueled by hydrogen.  

Unified International, which set up a Dutch consortium that consists of 17 companies both public and private including the Dutch government, has set its horizons for 2028. It is an ambitious goal considering that Airbus, which is working on hydrogen planes of its own, is targeting to launch them by 2035.  

An overhaul of commercial planes’ design would be needed to accommodate the new hydrogen fuel. Currently, regular fuel is stored in the wings of the plane. However, hydrogen fuel will need insulated tanks to be kept in which could take up extra space and would weigh a great deal more. The current plan is to store these hydrogen capsules in the tale of the plane, according to Unified International.  

The planes could realistically carry 40 to 80 passengers at a time but can be adapted for larger aircrafts. While no real change will be made in terms of time taken to fly between nearby countries, it is estimated that long-haul flights might have a little time added onto it in the future. 

Global aviation contributes to an estimated 2.1% of carbon emissions. With that being said, it is an industry that is imperative to society and one we cannot afford to lose. The only option we have is to find ways to make it sustainable for the sake of our future.  

[via The Guardian and Simply Flying, Photo 44887664 © Khunaspix | Dreamstime.com]