Stockholm, 31 January 2024 - Airbus, Avinor, SAS, Swedavia and Vattenfall
have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to investigate the feasibility
of a hydrogen infrastructure at airports in Sweden and Norway.
This
cooperation will provide better understanding of hydrogen aircraft concepts and
operations, supply, infrastructures and refueling needs at airports in order to
help develop this hydrogen aviation ecosystem in both countries. The work will
also identify the pathways to select which airports will be transformed first to
operate hydrogen-powered aircraft in both countries as well as the accompanying
regulatory framework.
This
is the first time that a feasibility study of this kind covers two countries
and more than 50 airports. It reflects the partners’ shared ambition to use
their respective expertise to support the decarbonisation of the aviation
industry and to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
“Hydrogen
stands out as a key enabler as we pioneer a sustainable aviation future.” said
Guillaume Faury, CEO Airbus “Norway and Sweden are among the most demanding
regions for aviation and have great potential for hydrogen production from
renewable energy sources. I am very pleased to enter into this cooperation with
partners fully engaged to take significant steps towards decarbonising
aerospace. It fits perfectly with our strategy of deploying hydrogen aviation
ecosystems in the most suitable parts of the world.”
Abraham
Foss, CEO Avinor: “Hydrogen is emerging as a key energy carrier in future
fossil free aviation. As the owner and operator of 43 airports across Norway,
Avinor has been working on sustainability for many years already, and has taken
a position as a driving force and facilitator for the green transition of
Norwegian aviation. Our dialogue with Airbus concerning the decarbonization of
aviation goes several years back and we are very happy to be able to announce
this collaboration together with our good neighbors in Sweden. Norway, as well
as Sweden, is well positioned to be an early mover in the introduction of
hydrogen-powered aircraft. We look forward to contributing with our expertise
as well as infrastructure to bring this important work forward.”
“As
the world takes positive steps towards a more sustainable future, SAS’
commitment is to ensure that also coming generations can enjoy the benefits of
seamless global connectivity. By partnering with some of the strongest and most
innovative players in the industry, we are assuming our responsibility to drive
the transition towards achieving net-zero emissions. A journey that matters not
just for SAS, but for the entire aviation industry,” says SAS’ President &
CEO Anko van der Werff.
“We
are very excited to be part of a larger partnership on the role of hydrogen in
aviation together with Airbus, Avinor, SAS and Vattenfall. Swedavia, Avinor and
SAS already have established successful collaborations in fossil-free aviation,
and it is therefore exciting that Airbus, with its extensive knowledge of
hydrogen-powered aircraft through its ZEROe initiative, and Vattenfall, with
its expertise in electricity and energy production, are joining us in a more
in-depth collaboration. Hydrogen is expected to gradually become an increasing
part of the aviation industry's fuel mix in the future and will therefore have
an increasing effect on the infrastructure and planning of our airports. This
partnership is a major and important step towards fossil-free aviation in the
Nordic region and will further strengthen Swedavia's role as a front-runner in
fossil-free aviation, while at the same time taking another important step in
the transition within the aviation industry," says Jonas Abrahamsson,
Swedavia's president and CEO.
”We
want to enable industry decarbonization. Aviation is a hard to abate industry
where breaking away from fossil fuels is a huge challenge today. This cross
border collaboration however demonstrates the willingness to bring about
change. We look forward to contributing with expertise in electricity market
development, electrical infrastructure, and hydrogen production in Sweden”,
said Anna Borg, President and CEO, Vattenfall.
The
use of hydrogen to power future aircraft is not only expected to significantly
reduce aircraft emissions in the air, but could also help decarbonise air
transport activities on the ground. In 2020, Airbus unveiled the first ZEROe
concept with the ambition to bring to market the world's first hydrogen-powered
commercial aircraft by 2035. The development of the corresponding technology
bricks is now underway in a global Research & Technology network.
Airbus also launched the
“Hydrogen Hub at Airports” programme to jumpstart research into infrastructure
requirements and low-carbon airport operations, across the entire value chain.
To date agreements have been signed with partners and airports in ten countries
including France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South
Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
To find out more about hydrogen and decarbonisation, visit airbus.com