Rolls-Royce and easyJet reckons they are a step closer to more environmental friendly aircraft, after staging a first test of a modern aero jet engine running on hydrogen.
The engine giant and the low-cost airline teamed up in July on a project to prove that ‘green hydrogen’ – created using energy captured from wind and tidal power – could be used as a “zero carbon aviation fuel of the future”. Both firms have cited the fuel as a key part of their future decarbonisation strategies.
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Now, hydrogen-powered planes aren’t ready to take to the sky just yet: this was a ground test. It took place at MoD Boscombe Down, and used a specially adapted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A regional aircraft engine.
The hydrogen plane aiming to make flying emission-free
The green hydrogen for the text was provided by European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), and was generated at their hydrogen production facility on Eday in the Orkney Islands.
A series of further rig tests will follow, before the two firms aim to conduct a full-scale ground test of a Rolls-Royce Pearl 15 jet engine.
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