HYDROGEN
Dr Lee Juby, CEO at Fuel Cell Systems, looks into the use of hydrogen in the aviation sector and the pilot projects that are leading the way
the Large Aviation Innovation Award at the 2024 Aviation Industry Awards UK. Exeter Airport took the concept further. In a world
Ground support equipment (GSE) at Exeter airport
HYDROGEN’S ROLE IN DECARBONISING THE AVIATION SECTOR
H
ydrogen is one of the more promising pathways through which aviation can
decarbonise, both as a direct power source for future aircraft and as a feedstock for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF). There are currently around 40 e-SAF production operations in the early stages of planning across Europe. In addition to these applications, however,
there’s significant potential for emissions reductions based on the equipment on the runways and aprons of every airport. Ground support equipment (GSE) – baggage tractors, pushback tugs, ground power units (GPUs) and so on – has typically run on diesel. Research conducted at Exeter Airport, a small regional airport, found that ground operations consumed over 78,000 litres of diesel in a single 12-month period, emitting nearly 200 tonnes of carbon. Scale those figures to a major European hub and the opportunity to significantly reduce aviation emissions through hydrogen-powered ground operations is hard to ignore.
HOW HYDROGEN CAN MEET DEMANDS Battery electric vehicles have made some inroads into GSE, but the abilities of hydrogen make it well-suited for the operational demands of a working apron. Refuelling times are comparable to diesel, which helps with fleet availability and aircraft turnaround times. Hydrogen vehicles can also perform reliably in varied weather conditions, particularly in colder climates. Hydrogen GSE has now been tested and operated at -17˚C at Helsinki airport under real winter conditions, with hydrogen refuelling from HyQube infrastructure and the GSE itself delivering consistent, dependable performance throughout.
www.essmag.co.uk Policy and technological readiness also lend
impetus to hydrogen GSE adoption. Across Europe and the UK, regulations support the use of hydrogen to meet emissions targets, such as those outlined within the UK’s Jet Zero Strategy and Europe’s industry-led roadmap Destination 2050. Hydrogen GSE is readily available and relatively
mature. Manufacturers are producing both hydrogen fuel cell (HFC) and hydrogen internal combustion engine (H2-ICE) vehicles, alongside dual diesel-hydrogen ground power units (GPUs) for powering parked aircraft. Early trials have also demonstrated the viability of converting diesel GSE to hydrogen which, given the long lifecycle of most GSE and the size of their fleets, could save operators a significant sum when it comes to fleet renewal compared to battery-only assets.
HYDROGEN REFUELLING The story of hydrogen refuelling at airports will start with the use of gaseous hydrogen for GSE. At Bristol Airport, for example, Project Acorn became the first airside hydrogen refuelling trial at a major UK airport. Working with easyJet, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Cranfield University, a HyQube modular refueller was used to fuel a hydrogen-powered baggage tractor during live turnaround procedures, gathering the real-world data needed to help shape regulation and standards for safe airside hydrogen use. The project was recognised with
first, a TUI Boeing 737 completed a full commercial turnaround using multiple hydrogen-powered vehicles simultaneously: a fuel cell baggage tractor, a hydrogen combustion pushback tug, and a hybrid hydrogen-diesel GPU. This trial proved that a fully hydrogen-supported turnaround is viable today. As part of the TULIPS programme, Schiphol
Airport in Amsterdam has run successful hydrogen GPU trials. It also recently completed a hydrogen ground vehicle trial, using a HyQube modular refueller to supply hydrogen to a pick-up truck and a specially developed aircraft tow vehicle, which routinely tows Boeing 737s between parking zones, hangars, taxiways and gates.
GOING FORWARD These successful trials demonstrate that the widespread use of hydrogen GSE is achievable. Knowledge-sharing throughout the industry is key, and many of the successful projects are positively contributing to the development of regulations and guidelines for the sector. Going from pilot to more permanent hydrogen
GSE usage will also be a large undertaking, and that same experience will be a necessity for scaling. With more GSE operating in busier environments, different storage and refuelling assets will be needed, and airports will need to consider their hydrogen delivery schedules and the potential for on-site production. The location of refuelling must also be looked at.
Static refuelling sites have so far been successful, but mobile refuelling from tankers or trucks may be required for refuelling GSE assets – and even aircraft themselves – at remote stands.
Fuel Cell Systems
www.fuelcellsystems.co.uk
Hydrogen vehicles can perform reliably in varied weather conditions, particularly in colder climates
ENERGY & SUSTAINABILITY SOLUTIONS - Summer 2026
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