Hamburg Airport has initiated a new Baltic Sea Region Project aimed at driving the development of hydrogen-based aircraft. Consisting of 16 project partners and 24 associated organisations, the partnership is planned for a duration of three years and could start as early as Autumn 2023.
The project involves the launch of a consortium and the application for EU funding within the interreg programme, including an application for the planned project “BSR Hydrogen Air Transport – Preparation of Baltic Sea Region Airports for Green Hydrogen.”
Important themes of the project involve the development of a green hydrogen supply chain from production to aircraft fuelling or ground support equipment, as well as test operations.
The project also aims to clarify the prerequisites for an airport infrastructure fit for H2-powered aircraft, will perform a demonstration flight with a hydrogen-powered aircraft at Hamburg Airport and open up a new network of flight connections geared towards hydrogen-powered flight.
“H2 offers great potential for climate-neutral flights on short-haul routes,” said Jan Eike Hardegen, Head of Environment, Hamburg Airport. “From our partners’ point of view, regional air transport with smaller, future hydrogen-powered aircraft is particularly suitable. Gaseous hydrogen is the propulsion of the future especially for smaller regional air transport aircraft, such as turboprops with 20-30 seats.”
Image: Hamburg Airport
