The dream of climate-neutral flying lives on: Hydrogen technology in particular should be a solution here to make air traffic more sustainable.
The topic is now picking up speed across the EU: the EU is promoting hydrogen technology at German airports
View of the terminal at Sylt Airport.Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa The European Union is funding the use of hydrogen technology in Schleswig-Holstein aviation with a total of 423,100 euros. According to the European Ministry, Sylt Airport, Sylt Air, Lübeck Air and Lübeck Airport are being funded.
According to the information, Sylt Air received the highest funding of 123,100 euros, the other companies each received 100,000 euros. According to the ministry, practical solutions should be developed that facilitate and promote the use of hydrogen as a fuel in aviation. The “Lübecker Nachrichten” had previously reported on it.
Hydrogen aircraft are an emerging field of research
Hydrogen aircraft development is an emerging area of research, but we are still in the early stages. There are various companies and research institutes working on the development of hydrogen aircraft, but it will still be some time before such aircraft will be commercially available.
An important aspect in the development of hydrogen aircraft is the infrastructure required to produce, store and distribute hydrogen. Hydrogen has a low energy density and requires special tanks and handling systems, which poses challenges.
Sustainable Flying: Promising Airbus Plans
Nevertheless, there are some promising projects. For example, Airbus has unveiled plans for a hydrogen aircraft called ZEROe that could be operational by 2035. There are also other companies like Boeing and various startups working on similar concepts.
However, it is important to note that the development and deployment of hydrogen aircraft depends on various factors including technological breakthroughs, economic feasibility, regulatory framework and environmental impact. It will be some time before hydrogen aircraft are widely deployed, but research and development in this area is progressing.
Greentech aircraft: Money comes from the Interreg Baltic Sea program
The money comes from the Interreg Baltic Sea program, one of six transnational Interreg B programs with German participation. The program comprises a total of 250 million euros for the 2021-2027 funding period. The range of projects and the commitment of the actors involved clearly show how important the state’s continuous cooperation with partners in the Baltic Sea region is, said Europe Minister Werner Schwarz.