Green hydrogen flight becomes a potential reality in New Zealand, as a consortium outlines plans for its implementation
New Zealand is making strides towards decarbonising its aviation sector with the help of the New Zealand Hydrogen Aviation Consortium. The consortium, consisting of Airbus, Air New Zealand, Christchurch Airport, Fortescue, Hiringa Energy, and Fabrum, has released a report titled 'Launching green hydrogen powered aviation in Aotearoa New Zealand'.
Fortescue, a global leader in the effort to decarbonise hard-to-abate sectors, is developing and acquiring the technology and energy supply to help decarbonise its Australian iron ore operations by 2030. The company is also committed to producing green hydrogen, containing zero carbon, from renewable electricity.
Hiringa Energy is building a high-capacity green hydrogen re-fuelling infrastructure across New Zealand, with the first four stations under construction in Hamilton, Palmerston North, Auckland, and Tauranga. Fabrum, with a strong background in aviation, is manufacturing green hydrogen systems for ground-based infrastructure at airports and on-board fuel tanks for zero-emission flights.
The report outlines key recommendations and challenges for enabling green hydrogen aviation in New Zealand. The key recommendations include developing comprehensive hydrogen infrastructure, adopting multiple low-carbon technologies, and supporting regional hydrogen projects. The challenges include high aviation emissions, technical and operational barriers, limited solutions for long-haul flights, and residual small emissions sources.
To enable green hydrogen aviation to take-off, New Zealand will need to scale affordable new generation renewable energy, develop transmission and distribution capacity, create policies and regulations, develop new systems and processes, and become more cost-effective to produce and supply green hydrogen.
Christchurch Airport, a global leader in sustainability, has been recognised for its efforts in decarbonisation. In 2020, it became the first airport in the world to reach the highest level of decarbonisation under the Airports Council's International's carbon accreditation programme. The airport is also developing a renewable energy precinct, Kōwhai Park, to provide the green energy the new generations of electric and hydrogen aircraft will require.
Airbus is also pioneering the development of the world's first hydrogen aircraft for commercial use. The company offers modern and fuel-efficient commercial aircraft and associated services, and is a global leader in aerospace, defense, and connected services.
For more information about the New Zealand Hydrogen Aviation Consortium's report, visit [New Zealand Hydrogen Aviation Consortium's report]. For more information about Christchurch Airport, visit [christchurchairport.co.nz/about-us/]. For more information about Hiringa Energy, visit [Hiringa.co.nz]. For more information about Fabrum, visit [Fabrum.nz]. For more information about Fortescue, visit fortescue.com.
Sources:
- New Zealand Hydrogen Aviation Consortium's report
- Christchurch Airport's initiatives and statements
- Hiringa Energy’s green hydrogen initiatives
- Airbus's website for their hydrogen-powered aircraft
This article is based on the information available at the time of writing and may not reflect the most recent developments.
- The New Zealand Hydrogen Aviation Consortium, composed of Airbus, Air New Zealand, Christchurch Airport, Fortescue, Hiringa Energy, and Fabrum, is working on decarbonising the aviation sector in New Zealand, with a report titled 'Launching green hydrogen powered aviation in Aotearoa New Zealand'.
- Fortescue, a global leader in decarbonising hard-to-abate sectors, is committed to producing zero-carbon green hydrogen from renewable electricity and developing the technology and energy supply to decarbonise its Australian iron ore operations by 2030.
- Hiringa Energy is constructing high-capacity green hydrogen re-fuelling stations across New Zealand, with four stations underway in Hamilton, Palmerston North, Auckland, and Tauranga.
- Fabrum, with expertise in aviation, is manufacturing green hydrogen systems for ground-based infrastructure at airports and on-board fuel tanks for zero-emission flights.
- The report by the New Zealand Hydrogen Aviation Consortium outlines key recommendations and challenges, such as developing comprehensive hydrogen infrastructure, adopting multiple low-carbon technologies, and addressing technical and operational barriers, to enable green hydrogen aviation in New Zealand.
- To achieve green hydrogen aviation, New Zealand needs to scale affordable new generation renewable energy, develop transmission and distribution capacity, create policies and regulations, develop new systems and processes, and become cost-effective for green hydrogen production and supply.
