Airbus uses the giant A380 to test its first prototype Hydrogen jet engines
Hydrogen fuel is seen as the aviation industries only route to true zero emissions flight, and Airbus are leading the way.
Key takeaways
- When it comes to trying to decarbonise the global aviation industry Airbus is ahead of the pack with their zero emissions Zero-E line of hydrogen aircraft which they unveiled late last year.
- With global air travel accounting for 915 tonnes of CO2 in 2019 alone, the pressure is on the aviation sector to perfect lower and zero-emission alternatives.
- Last year, it emerged that Europe’s five largest airports – London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt, Amsterdam Schipol and Madrid Barajas – emitted more CO2 than the whole of Sweden.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2022) 'Airbus uses the giant A380 to test its first prototype Hydrogen jet engines', 311 Institute, 10 August. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/airbus-uses-the-giant-a380-to-test-its-first-prototype-hydrogen-jet-engines/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
When it comes to trying to decarbonise the global aviation industry Airbus is ahead of the pack with their zero emissions Zero-E line of hydrogen aircraft which they unveiled late last year. And now, just months after they used an A380 to test a new open fan engine concept which could cut aircraft emissions by up to 20% they’re using another A380 demonstrator to test their first hydrogen powered zero emissions jet engine.
When Emirates received its 123rd Airbus A380 in December it marked the end of the line for the biggest passenger plane ever built, just 16 years after launch, with new orders dwindling as a result of advances in technology making newer models more economical, and the pandemic’s devastating impact on global demand.
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Now the manufacturer has announced plans to retrofit its super-jumbo, which has a capacity of 525 passengers, with hydrogen fuel technology as part of ongoing efforts to introduce the world’s first zero-emissions aircraft by 2035. The project is a partnership with CFM International – a joint venture involving GE and Safran Aircraft Engines.
Hydrogen-powered gas turbines will be installed between the A380’s two upper level doors, with storage and distribution systems for the fuel located inside the aircraft, which was chosen for the test due to its huge size, which Airbus believes will allow it to better evolve the concept over time.
Learn more about the new concept engine
“This is key in enabling us to achieve our ambition of having a zero-emission aircraft in commercial service by 2035,” said Glenn Llewellyn, a leader on aviation climate strategy and VP of Zero Emission Aircraft at Airbus, in a video posted to the company’s YouTube channel.
With global air travel accounting for 915 tonnes of CO2 in 2019 alone, the pressure is on the aviation sector to perfect lower and zero-emission alternatives. Last year, it emerged that Europe’s five largest airports – London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt, Amsterdam Schipol and Madrid Barajas – emitted more CO2 than the whole of Sweden.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Hydrogen fuel is seen as the aviation industries only route to true zero emissions flight, and Airbus are leading the way.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- Five airports emit more co2 than the whole of sweden airqualitynews.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 10 August 2022. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2022). Airbus uses the giant A380 to test its first prototype Hydrogen jet engines. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/airbus-uses-the-giant-a380-to-test-its-first-prototype-hydrogen-jet-engines/
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