Air Liquide, Airbus and Groupe ADP signed an MOU to prepare for the arrival of hydrogen in airports by 2035 as part of the development of hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft. The partners will leverage their respective knowledge to support the decarbonization of the aviation industry and to define the concrete needs and opportunities that hydrogen can bring to the aeronautics sector. This partnership reflects the three partners’ shared ambition to contribute to the emergence of an innovative and strategic French sector dedicated to achieving climate-neutral aviation worldwide.

To prepare for the arrival of the first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft by 2035, airports will need to be adapted, in particular to include the specificity of liquid hydrogen supply. The partnership announced today focuses on carrying out feasibility studies aimed at developing this infrastructure. 

As a first step, a study involving a representative panel of around 30 airports worldwide will be launched to assess potential configurations for liquid hydrogen production, supply and distribution. Detailed scenarios and plans will then be drawn up for the two main Paris airports: Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Paris-Orly. These scenarios will be essential in defining the required infrastructure, including scope and location, and in identifying and integrating the constraints relative to both industrial and aviation safety standards.

"This partnership between an aircraft manufacturer, an airport authority and a hydrogen expert is an important and necessary step to prepare for the entry-into-service of a zero-emission aircraft by 2035," said Antoine Bouvier, Airbus Head of Strategy, Mergers & Acquisitions and Public Affairs. "By starting to introduce hydrogen at Paris airports now, we underscore the shared ambition of an entire ecosystem to make the decarbonization of the aviation sector possible and to achieve our emissions-reduction targets."