Rolls-Royce Achieves New ‘World First’ With Hydrogen-Powered Jet Engine

In what could be a huge milestone for eco-friendly aviation, Rolls-Royce and easyJet announced that they have recently achieved the world’s first run of a modern aero engine using hydrogen. 

Both companies took part in a ground test, powering a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A regional aircraft engine with hydrogen created from wind and tidal energy, which they procured from the test facility on Eday in the Orkney Islands, UK. 

This attempt, which is being hailed as a “true British success story,” will go a long way to prove that the gas can be a safe and efficient energy source for civil aero engines worldwide. 

According to Rolls-Royce, the achievement marks “a major milestone towards proving that hydrogen could be a zero carbon aviation fuel of the future,” with the duo already planning to carry out a second series of tests. 

After analyzing this early ground test, the companies hope to put the concept through further rig tests, before leading up to a full-scale ground test of a Rolls-Royce 15 jet engine. 

[via Reuters and Rolls-Royce, images via Rolls-Royce plc]