Airbus, Kansai Airports and Kawasaki to collaborate on infrastructure for hydrogen-fueled aircraft
Airbus, Kansai Airports and Kawasaki Heavy Industries have established a partnership that will facilitate the introduction of hydrogen-fueled aircraft by 2035 and the decarbonization of the aviation industry.
The parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation (MoU) to explore the feasibility of establishing a hydrogen supply and storage system for aviation at three airports in the Kansai region of Japan - Kansai International Airport, Osaka International Airport and Kobe Airport.
A roadmap for supply at all three airports will be developed in the future.
All of the aforementioned air gateways are characterized by their unique geographical and transport features. This, in turn, allows Airbus to explore different hydrogen supply scenarios, including different routes and delivery methods.
The company Airbus has been working with Kansai Airports since 2022 to deploy hydrogen technology at the airport. In particular, Kansai Airports has already demonstrated the successful use of hydrogen in its operations, including the successful use of fuel cell buses and forklifts.
The partnership with Kawasaki, a leading provider of hydrogen solutions, focuses on preparing a hydrogen fuel ecosystem. Kawasaki has demonstrated significant potential in designing various options for a comprehensive supply chain of cryogenic hydrogen.
The Japanese corporation has experience in installing baggage handling and other systems at a number of airports and also has expertise in airport infrastructure development.
“Kansai Airports has set a goal of achieving zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and is actively pursuing various initiatives, including the use of hydrogen, to reduce its environmental impact. We are pleased that this partnership will not only help implement hydrogen solutions in the airport sector, but also contribute to decarbonization in the aviation industry”, said the Kansai Airports administration.
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