Hydrogen takes flight as aviation fuel as Brisbane H2 hub gets underway

From the skies above to the roads below, hydrogen is gaining momentum as a clean fuel source across different sectors in the global shift towards a cleaner energy future.

Flying Towards Greener Aviation

London Gatwick Airport is partnering with Airbus, Easyjet, and global hydrogen producer Air Products, to develop hydrogen infrastructure to fuel short and medium-haul flights with hydrogen instead of kerosene.

This project is about much more than just refuelling airliners with hydrogen; it encompasses an entire interconnected system, including ensuring a reliable source of hydrogen supply and storage, developing the infrastructure and procedures for safely refuelling hydrogen-powered planes, and exploring ways to use hydrogen for other purposes at the airport, such as ground vehicles. 

“Alongside sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), hydrogen stands out as having real potential to help us decarbonise Scope 3 emissions at the airport, particularly for the short-haul aircraft that dominate London Gatwick’s operations,” said London Gatwick CEO Stewart Wingate.

“We’ve accelerated our plans and aim to be net zero for the emissions we control – Scope 1 and 2 – ten years early, by 2030. This exciting partnership is an important early step toward reaching our net zero ambitions.”

This initiative is aligned with the global Airbus ‘Hydrogen Hubs at Airports’ program, aimed at promoting the development of hydrogen infrastructure in the aviation industry. Agreements have already been signed with partners and airports in 13 countries, including Canada, France, Germany, and the United States. 

“We know hydrogen has the versatility to be an excellent fuel source for decarbonising the industry,” said Glenn Llewellyn, Airbus vice president of the ZEROe Project. 

“We’ve set ambitious targets to fly on hydrogen by 2035, and this technology needs to be supported by reliable and tested infrastructure.”

Easyjet chief operating officer David Morgan emphasised the importance of this collaboration: “Hydrogen is going to play an important role in decarbonising aviation, so we need to lay the groundwork now to make that happen. This Gatwick hub is another positive signal demonstrating the industry’s intent to both adapt and work together to reach the common goal of decarbonising aviation.” 

Air Products, with its decades of experience producing and distributing hydrogen, is a crucial player in this project. 

“The Hydrogen Hubs at Airports framework is an important milestone in paving the way for sustainable aviation and future-proofing the UK economy,” said Air Products vice president and general manager for United Kingdom, Ireland, Israel, and Italy, Suzanne Lowe.

This partnership builds on the ongoing work EasyJet and Airbus are undertaking with Hydrogen South West, an infrastructure ecosystem aimed at bringing the benefits of hydrogen to the South West of England.

Queensland Backs Hydrogen for Brisbane

Australian oil and developer Lion Energy has announced a collaboration with Mitsubishi subsidiary DGA Energy Solutions Australia and Samsung C&T to construct a green hydrogen hub at the Port of Brisbane.

Valued at $10 million, the joint venture marks a significant step towards establishing a renewable hydrogen infrastructure in the region.

The hub will boast two 1MW alkaline electrolyser packages, capable of producing 850kg of green hydrogen daily, totalling more than 300 tonnes annually at a cost of about $17 per kilogram, making it commercially viable. 

Secured by a long-term 20-year lease with Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd, the hub is assured an accessible location for future growth and expansion with agreements for key equipment, including electrolysers, compressors, and dispensing packages already in place.

“The Port of Brisbane facility is likely to create a blueprint for other green hydrogen ‘hub and spoke’ supply facilities across eastern Australia,” said Lion Energy Executive Chair Tom Soulsby.

“We are now quite confident that our initial markets for our green hydrogen production will be the displacement of grey hydrogen to green hydrogen for industrial customers, fuel cell gensets, and heavy mobility players such as bus operators and truck fleet managers.”

Soulsby added that the company is already in discussions with potential customers in other major cities, including Sydney and Melbourne, and anticipates announcing offtake agreements in the third quarter of 2024.

The financial structure of the partnership includes an initial $3.7 million payment from DGA and Samsung to Lion Energy for pre-construction costs. Upon the initiation of construction, the partners will secure $6.3 million in debt financing.

Ownership will be divided equally, with Lion Energy holding 50 per cent and the partners each owning 25 per cent. 

“It’s another major step in building Australia’s east coast hydrogen superhighway, helping to cut emissions and deliver secure energy jobs for Queenslanders,” said Mick de Brenni, who at the time of the announcement was Queensland energy minister.

“Our hydrogen-powered future is closer than you think.”