Rolls Royce says it has successfully tested a jet engine powered by Hydrogen. The British firm achieved this remarkable ‘major step’ in collaboration with easyJet in an attempt to decarbonize aviation fuel in the future.
The company said its ground test was conducted on an early concept demonstration and the green hydrogen was created by the wind the tidal power. The first trial is hailed as a major step to prove that hydrogen could truly be a zero-carbon aviation fuel and a ‘key proof point in the decarbonization strategies of both Rolls Royce and EasyJet.’ Both companies have been aiming to build an eco-friendly hydrogen-based engine for civil aviation.
The luxury car maker used a converted Rolls Royce AE 2100-A regional engine in the test held at MoD Boscombe Down, UK.
After the first successful trial, the partners are already in the second phase with higher ambitions involving flight tests. European Marine Energy Center (EMEC) supplied the green hydrogen for the company.
The milestone test has received quite a buzz in the European country. Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the UK, said “The UK is leading the global shift to guilt-free flying, and today’s test by Rolls-Royce and easyJet is an exciting demonstration of how business innovation can transform the way we live our lives.
“This is a true British success story, with the hydrogen being used to power the jet engine today produced using tidal and wind energy from the Orkney Islands of Scotland – and is a prime example of how we can work together to make aviation cleaner while driving jobs across the country.”
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An exciting milestone
Grazia Vittadini, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Rolls-Royce, said: “The success of this hydrogen test is an exciting milestone. We only announced our partnership with easyJet in July and we are already off to an incredible start with this landmark achievement. We are pushing the boundaries to discover the zero carbon possibilities of hydrogen, which could help reshape the future of flight.”
Johan Lundgren, CEO of EasyJet, said: “This is a real success for our partnership team. We are committed to supporting this ground-breaking research because hydrogen offers great possibilities for a range of aircraft, including EasyJet-sized aircraft. That will be a huge step forward in meeting the challenge of net zero by 2050.”
Hydrogen is a growing technology in the present-day economy. Global firms are trying to achieve a standard module to deliver net zero energy for aviation using hydrogen by 2050. Rolls Royce and EasyJet are not alone either.
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Aviation giant Airbus Airbus is cooperating with CFM, a French-US engine manufacturer to test hydrogen technology.
As the world aspires toward decarbonization Hydrogen technology is set to draw vast means and resources in the coming years.
