PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Green energy developer Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) and aeronautics major Airbus have joined forces to enable the aviation industry to decarbonise through zero-emissions green hydrogen.

FFI and Airbus have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that will allow both companies to collaborate closely, as one focused taskforce, to implement green hydrogen as a fuel within the aviation industry.

The companies would look specifically at challenges around green hydrogen regulations, infrastructure and global supply chains, from the production of green hydrogen, right through to its delivery to airports and transfer onto aircraft.

According to the MoU, FFI will provide cost outlook and technology drivers on the various elements of the supply chain and will build infrastructure deployment scenarios for the supply of green hydrogen to targeted airports. Airbus will provide characteristics on fleet energy usage, scenarios for hydrogen demand in aviation, refuelling specifications and aviation regulatory framework.

FFI founder and chairperson Dr Andrew Forrest said the global aviation industry produced more than 2.5% of global carbon dioxide emissions, with emissions having doubled since the 1980s.

“The time is now for a green revolution in the aviation industry. This exciting collaboration brings together leaders in the aviation industry with leaders in green energy for a pollution-free future,” Forrest said.

“We are all citizens of a global world. People want to travel, reunite with family and friends and explore new places without being forced to pollute the planet. The problem isn’t travel, the problem is how we fuel our planes and ships, all of that must turn emissions free. No greenwash, no mirage, just 100% green.

“Look no further than my home country of Australia to see the disasters of our changing environment. The catastrophic floods on the east coast are being described as “one-in-1 000-year events,” which means that every year there is just a 0.1% chance of a flood of that severity happening. Australia's climate has already warmed on average by almost 1.5 °C since 1910, and these extreme events are going to occur more frequently if industry doesn't come together to decarbonise quickly and completely.”

Airbus VP of zero emissions aircraft Glenn Llewellyn said that the future of air travel was green.

“Airbus has identified green hydrogen as the most promising option for decarbonisation to meet our environmental challenges. You heard it here first: We are starting the green aviation revolution,” Llewellyn said.