FutureFlight
Airbus, Airlines and Airports Want Help Creating Hydrogen Hubs In Paris
Companies with expertise in hydrogen infrastructure have been invited to express interest in support plans to prepare Parisian airports to support hydrogen-powered aircraft.
Airbus ZeroE
Airbus is working on various hydrogen-powered airliner concepts through its ZeroE program. (Image: Airbus)

Airbus, Air France-KLM, airports group ADP, and the Choose Paris Region development agency has called for expressions of interest to create so-called hydrogen hubs at Paris airports to fuel future hydrogen-powered aircraft. The international call—launched with the support of the Choose Paris Region agency—aims to build an airport ecosystem around hydrogen, major corporations, start-ups, laboratories, and universities.

The partners see three main requirements for meeting a European Commission goal to set the conditions for the introduction of hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2035. They include the means to store, transport, and distribute gaseous and liquid hydrogen in an airport environment; the diversification of hydrogen use in airports and aeronautics (ground handling vehicles and equipment, rail transport at airports, energy supply for buildings or aircraft during ground operations, etc.); and a so-called circular economy allowing for the recovery of hydrogen gas dissipated during liquid hydrogen refueling and the recovery of the by-product from the production of decarbonated hydrogen. The partners began accepting applications on Thursday and have opened the bidding until March 19.