Three aviation companies join forces to develop hydrogen fuel systems for avi...

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Aviation accounts for a relatively small proportion of global emissions , but is one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonize. It is increasingly clear that sustainable air travel is vital to achieving global net zero emissions by 2050.

On a mission to find a viable alternative to fossil fuels, aerospace manufacturers Marshall, GKN Aerospace and Parker Aerospace have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to explore the potential of liquid hydrogen fuel system solutions for the next generation of zero emission airplanes. This is an important step forward in the search for a viable alternative to fossil fuels in the aviation industry.

Hydrogen propulsion technologies , incl  Special Data  uding fuel cell- and combustion-powered aircraft, are seen as a critical path for the aviation industry to achieve its ambitious goal of net zero emissions by 2050.



The liquid hydrogen fuel system that the trio of partners will jointly develop under this MoU will be capable of supporting both combustion and electric hydrogen applications. In developing the system, Marshall, GKN Aerospace and Parker will combine their extensive experience in the design, testing, certification and manufacturing of new fuel systems for aerospace applications, GKN Aerospace said in a statement.

The project will benefit significantly from the H2GEAR program led by GKN Aerospace, funded by the UK Institute of Aerospace Technology, which will ground test a scalable hydrogen electric fuel cell propulsion system in 2025.

The partnership aims to bring together the complete, scalable fuel system and propulsion system into a single flight test bed environment before the end of the decade.

“Hydrogen fuel systems play a critical role in achieving zero emissions in aviation, and we are confident that this partnership will allow us to continue advancing our expertise in this area and drive the development of innovative solutions that support a more sustainable future,” Tracy Rice, Parker Aerospace vice president of Technology and Innovation, said in  the news release .

Initial studies suggest that such a system could support a wide range of aircraft, including commuter airliners (less than 19 passengers), business jets, and regional airliners (up to 100 passengers). The scalability of the system for larger narrow-body aircraft is currently being studied.