Hydrogen aircraft to fly between Rotterdam and London by 2024

Flying from Rotterdam to London in an airplane that runs entirely on hydrogen with zero carbon emissions should be possible by 2024. The statement was made by Schiphol, Rotterdam The Hague Airport, and aircraft manufacturer ZeroAvia. The latter aims to be the first provider in the world using hydrogen-powered aircraft for a commercial airline connection.

Both British-American ZeroAvia and the Rotterdam The Hague Innovation Airport Foundation have signed a cooperation agreement. The hydrogen-powered airplane is currently under development. It has 19 seats and is propeller-driven. A smaller prototype with six seats has already been tested successfully. Discussions are at an advanced stage over which airline will supply the connection.

Hydrogen is a completely clean technology. The ZeroAvia aircraft has a fuel cell that runs on hydrogen and drives electric motors. Only water and electricity are needed to produce hydrogen, so the sustainability of the process depends on how the electricity is generated. There are no harmful emissions from the aircraft itself. That is a big difference from current aircraft that are fueled by kerosene, which releases carbon dioxide and emits nitrogen oxides, which harm air quality and the environment.

ZeroAvia plans to build increasingly larger hydrogen-powered aircrafts in the coming years with the ability to travel longer distances.