Rolls-Royce to decarbonize air travel, tests world 1st hydrogen fuelled engine 

According to Reuters, the British company Rolls-Royce has successfully tested a hydrogen-fueled engine. In addition, the company was reported to say, the ground test, using a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A regional aircraft engine, used green hydrogen created by wind and tidal power. Their programming partner was EasyJet.

The company considers this as a ‘milestone’, and steps in the right direction. Maybe, if tests are successful can make aviation achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Hydrogen fuel when burned emits just H20, hence it is carbon-neutral. 

The bigger question is, can hydrogen be the fuel for the future?

There have certain apprehensions which are mentioned by several plane manufacturers like Boeing. Foe example, hydrogen fuel is not energy dense. Hence, the amount of fuel required to travel long journeys would more. That is to say, planes would required to redesign to accommodate more fuel. 

Like any fuel alternative in aviation, even hydrogen fuel would be suitable only for shorter journeys.

In other criticisms, people also claim that the hydrogen used is black or blue hydrogen i.e. being extracted through fossil fuels. The company has mentioned how they have extracted the hydrogen for the tests mentioned above.

Read more: Our Pathway to Net Zero

Rolls-Royce has a reputation for manufacturing luxury cars, in addition, they have great credibility when it comes to manufacturing and maintaining aircraft. Technology like eclectic engines and sustainable aviation fuel (SAFs) are backed by Rolls-Royce. 

As part of its strategy to decarbonise aviation fuel, the company has taken leaps forward.

Read more: Rolls-Royce races to decarbonise aircraft industry with new technologies 

Conclusion

The carbon emission due to the aviation sector has been a point of concern in various conferences, and debates. According to International Council on Clean Transportation, in 2018, global commercial operations generated 2.4% of all CO2 emissions. Although, according to some other researchers the percentage would be much higher. 

Read more here: CO2 emissions from commercial aviation, 2018

This supports our case fairly well. Aviation has always been a controversial topic in the context of climate debates. Aviation coalitions in various nations are coming together to switch to a more sustainable form of fuel for planes. This is bringing in control of carbon emissions through plans, as the numbers have flights are increasing rapidly. Their go-to solution is biofuels. Now, biofuel is a term used for fuel from organic material(s). Some say, this could be part of the solution, but can’t be completely relied upon as they are not carbon neutral.

Amidst these debates, points and counter-points, the idea of decarbonised aviation fuel is the solution. Let us hope this is not one of the greenwashing things which a lot of companies have been accused of. If further tests are successfully, we should be in hydrogen powered jet planes by the mid-2030s. Some of us, at least.

Also, Read

• Know how much military contributes to global carbon emissions!
• India-made Hydrogen Fuel Cell Bus, What is hydrogen fuel cell?

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