CAAS, Airbus, Cag and Linde to study hydrogen fuel in sustainable aviation
Making sustainable aviation viable and accessible to all will require cross-sectoral collaboration and public-private partnership.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has signed a cooperation agreement with Airbus, Changi Airport Group (CAG), and Linde to study the development of hydrogen supply and infrastructure for aviation.
The agreement results from the CAAS-Airbus Sustainable Aviation MoU signed in November 2021 to work together on programmes and initiatives to support the aviation sector in meeting its decarbonisation goals.
The four parties will collaborate to conduct market analysis on projected aviation demand and supply for hydrogen, regional readiness, and the commercial and technical feasibility of hydrogen adoption.
The agreement will also evaluate infrastructure requirements for a hydrogen airport hub and electrification of airport operations with hydrogen fuel cell. The collaboration leverages CAAS and CAG’s expertise in airport infrastructure development and Linde’s hydrogen production, processing, storage and distribution.
Airbus will provide characteristics of aircraft configuration and fleet energy usage, insight on hydrogen-powered aircraft for ground operations, and data on the estimated hydrogen aircraft ramp-up at airports.
By partnering with Changi Airport and with Incheon Airport, Airbus will leverage the operational and technical expertise of two of the world’s leading hubs. The studies we will carry out together reflect the need for a cross-sectoral approach, including manufacturers, airlines, regulators, airports, energy providers and academia.
Mr Han Kok Juan, DG of CAAS, said, “We would need to explore multiple pathways; while our immediate focus is on sustainable aviation fuel, we also need to explore longer-term alternatives such as hydrogen to better understand the potential and seize opportunities.”
Ms Sabine Klauke, CTO of Airbus, commented, “The Asia-Pacific region will play a key role as we work towards making climate-neutral aviation a reality.”
Mr Yam Kum Weng, Executive VP at CAG, added, “Sustainability is a key focus area for CAG as we strive towards making Changi Airport a sustainable air hub, with the longer-term aspiration towards net zero carbon by 2050.”
Mr John Panikar, Executive VP at Linde, noted, “In the past few years, industries and governments around the globe have recognised hydrogen’s role as a key enabler of the world’s transition to a zero-carbon economy.”
