The multinational Qantas said, during this Wednesday, June 22, that it confirmed a partnership with Airbus to invest more than US$ 250 million to finance the creation of aircraft engines that use green hydrogen to transport passengers. That is, the sector is getting closer and closer to testing sustainable technological innovations for fuels. The engines will be modified to run on hydrogen, and it is estimated that the first presentation of the surveys will be held in 2023. However, it is important to note that, as this is a project in the testing phase, it may take time for the population to have access to more information.
The partnership was signed over the weekend when Qantas Group agreed to be part of a historic contract, which will provide for the supply of materials and support for the giant airliner, Airbus, to develop new fuels based on green hydrogen. They will be pioneers in the sector.
A Australian Sustainable Aviation Fuel Partnership should have the participation of companies in Australia, where the study is being carried out, investing millions to accelerate the development of sustainable aviation. Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce, partnering with CEO from Airbus, Guillaume Faury, signed the contract that foresaw the beginning of an intensive partnership between their institutions. The agreement was signed during the Annual General Assembly event of the International Air Transport Association (AGM).
“Due to the lack of a local commercial scale AFS industry, Australia is exporting millions of tonnes of raw material every year such as canola and animal tallow to be processed into AFS in other countries”, said Qantas in its statement. The company said it promised to use at least 10% of its financial return to invest in the development of renewable fuel by the year 2030, and this will lower its export costs for sustainable diesel production, which, in its view, is an expensive investment in the long term.
What are the fuels used in aviation and how can green hydrogen change the context of our environment?
Biofuels are frequently used in aviation. However, the current project requires a more significant change to the plane's engine, that does not work based on H2. What happens is that hydrogen, which can be a promising way to reduce strokes and increase the efficiency of machines, does not work effectively in common engines. That is, it would be necessary to change how they interact and react to each other in order to have results, requiring studies and various investments. The money that was needed to start development was what was missing.
Renewable diesel is also a frequently used element in the aviation industry. It is produced through cooking oil and other categories of greases that make it similar to refined petroleum material. Therefore, it could also be used in engines without any changes. Furthermore, importing raw materials for its production is more expensive than expected.
Qatar has stated that it wants to use, in this new development, only materials that can be found locally, to favor the Australian industry. According to both institutions, it is estimated that the first aircraft, which uses only green hydrogen, will reach the market by the end of 2023.
