MONTREAL, May 21, 2024
/CNW/ - Airbus and ZeroAvia have signed three respective
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Canada's three busiest airports,
Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL), Toronto Pearson
International Airport (YYZ) and Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to study
the feasibility of hydrogen infrastructure at airports in
Canada. The press event took place
at the International Aerospace Innovation Forum, organized by Aéro
Montréal.
This is the first time that a feasibility study of this
magnitude has taken place in Canada to pioneer hydrogen for aviation, with
the three airports. It reflects the partners' shared ambition to
use their respective expertise to support the decarbonisation of
the aviation industry (ICAO, ATAG and IATA) and to achieve net zero
carbon emissions by 2050.
Air transport is prime in the country because of its wide-spread
geography. Not only does it connect to international cities but is
also an important means of supplying critical connectivity
domestically. Commercial flights in Canada enable the flows of goods, investments,
people and ideas that are the fundamental drivers of economic
growth. Air transport in Canada is
forecast to grow by 51% in the next 20 years under the "current
trends" scenario. This would result in an additional 39.8 million
passenger journeys by 2037. (Source IATA Economics)
This cooperation will provide better understanding of hydrogen
aircraft concepts and operations, supply, infrastructure and
refueling needs at airports, with the goal of developing the
hydrogen aviation ecosystem across the country. The work will
also collaborate to support the development of regulations and
standards. Montreal is the home
city of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and
collaboration is a key driver to support a global framework.
"Canada is one of the most
promising regions for hydrogen hubs due to its natural resources.
Canada has great potential for
hydrogen production from renewable energy sources such as
hydroelectric power. These first Canadian hydrogen partnerships
enable us to cover the country from coast to coast. Hydrogen stands
out as a key enabler as we pioneer a sustainable aviation future.
We are very pleased to enter into this cooperation with partners
fully engaged to take significant steps towards decarbonising
aerospace. It fits perfectly with our strategy of deploying
hydrogen aviation ecosystems in the most suitable parts of the
world, now including North
America", said Karine Guenan, Vice-President of ZEROe
Ecosystem.
Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO, ZeroAvia, said: "We are bringing
together Canada's largest
airports, the world's largest aircraft manufacturer and the leading
innovator in decarbonised propulsion technology, in order to
progress the transition to hydrogen aviation. ZeroAvia flight
testing demonstrates that hydrogen-powered commercial aviation is a
prospect ahead of 2030, so we need to start working hard to prepare
for the hydrogen infrastructure needed to support the aviation
industry and airports as they step into a new golden age of clean
flight."
Yves Beauchamp, President and CEO
of ADM Aéroports de Montréal, said: "ADM is committed to
decarbonizing airport operations and improving air quality at its
YUL and YMX sites. The use of hydrogen as a fuel for aircraft is a
forward-looking solution that fits perfectly with these goals. This
partnership will allow our organization not only to better prepare
for the introduction of this alternative in our airport operations,
but above all to adequately plan the infrastructure required to
offer it at YUL as early as 2035. As Montréal is the world's civil
aviation capital, we are all the more proud that our city is
playing a leading role in this sustainable innovation project."
"Toronto Pearson is committed to making our own operations and
those of the larger aviation industry more sustainable. Our
partnership with Airbus and ZeroAvia is an extension of our ongoing
efforts to adopt clean energy solutions, including the construction
of our new hydrogen filling station,'' said Deborah Flint, President and CEO of Toronto
Pearson. "The future of airports and their aviation partners will
be built with innovative infrastructure that minimizes
environmental impact."
"We know when it comes to climate change, aviation isn't the
enemy, carbon is. Looking into the feasibility of airports as
Hydrogen Hubs is an important step on the journey to net zero
carbon emissions," said Tamara
Vrooman, President and CEO at Vancouver International Airport. "The
collaboration between Airbus, ZeroAvia and the three biggest
airports in Canada will help
identify the changes required in our industry and supporting
ecosystem to meet carbon reduction goals."
The use of hydrogen to power future aircraft is not only
expected to significantly reduce aircraft emissions in the air, but
could also help decarbonise air transport activities on the ground.
In 2020, Airbus unveiled the first ZEROe concept with the ambition
to bring to market the world's first hydrogen-powered commercial
aircraft by 2035. The development of the corresponding technology
bricks is now underway in a global Research & Technology
network.
Airbus also launched the "Hydrogen Hub at Airports" programme to
jumpstart research into infrastructure requirements and low-carbon
airport operations, across the entire value chain. To date
agreements have been announced with partners and airports in ten
countries including France,
Germany, Italy, Japan,
New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South
Korea, Sweden and the
United Kingdom. ZEROe wishes to
develop its hydrogen visibility and partnership network in
North America. Therefore, there is
a strong need to recruit partners in the region.
ZeroAvia has an active certification application for a
powertrain (ZA600) for 10-20 seat aircraft, targeting market entry
within the next couple of years, and is also developing a second
engine (ZA2000) for 40-80 seat aircraft to follow soon after. In
addition, the company is working to develop the hydrogen fuel
ecosystem to support these clean propulsion systems at airports by
developing unique production, storage and dispensing technologies,
and by working with airport partners to plan for hydrogen
operations in the near future.
Airbus has been in Canada for
40 years with more than 4,500 people working at the ten sites and
offices of Airbus and its subsidiaries sourcing around C$2 billion annually from Canadian companies.
Canada is also home of the A220
aircraft, where its main final assembly lines, pre-assembly line
and main programme, engineering and customer services offices are
located in Mirabel, Quebec.
To find out more about hydrogen and decarbonisation, visit
airbus.com
SOURCE Airbus