Hydrogen-powered plane that can fly from London to Rome completes test flight

The aircraft, developed by the German company H2FLY, completed a three-hour flight at a test site in Slovenia. Photo: Peter Santini/Bloomberg

A hydrogen-powered plane capable of flying from London to Rome has made its first manned journey, potentially paving the way for zero-carbon routes across Europe.

The plane, which was developed by the German company H2FLY, runs on liquid hydrogen, which generates energy for electric motors that rotate its propeller.

Liquid hydrogen is much lighter than batteries and requires smaller tanks than gaseous hydrogen, potentially giving aircraft much longer range and more space for passengers and cargo.

Aircraft manufacturers and engine developers such as Rolls -Royce and Airbus, which have tested aircraft powered by hydrogen gas, admit that large engines pose the biggest challenges.

H2FLY said using liquid hydrogen also doubles the range of its aircraft. up to 1,500 km — the distance from London to Rome compared to using hydrogen gas.

However, the fuel is difficult to cope with. Hydrogen is a gas at normal temperatures and must be cooled to minus 253°C to become liquid and then stored in insulated “cryogenic” containers. Hydrogen is also explosive and can easily leak, so strict safety precautions are necessary.

Using liquid hydrogen in flight instead of gaseous hydrogen helped double the flight range. Photo: ANTONIO BRONIC/REUTERS

Josef Kallo, co-founder of H2FLY, said: “This achievement marks a watershed moment in the use of hydrogen to power aircraft. Together with our partners, we have demonstrated the viability of liquid hydrogen to enable emissions-free, medium- and long-haul flights.

“We now look to scale up our technology for regional aircraft and other applications, beginning the critical mission of decarbonizing commercial aviation.”

Flights of up to three hours took place at a test site in Slovenia. The system used by the HY4 test aircraft supplied hydrogen to fuel cells, which converted it into electricity and water, which was released into the air. No fossil fuels means no CO2 emissions.

Pierre Crespi from Air Liquide Advanced Technologies, which has developed cryogenic storage tanks for liquid hydrogen, said: “This demonstrates the full potential of liquid hydrogen for aviation. Liquid hydrogen can be stored on board and transported.”

Airbus is developing a new hydrogen-powered aircraft with the aim of entering commercial service from 2035, and Rolls-Royce has already proven that hydrogen can power a jet engine Once successful, ground tests will take place in 2022.

This also means that companies developing promising technologies will become acquisition targets. H2FLY was acquired in 2021 by Joby Aviation, a California-based company developing electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft for commercial passenger transport.

In a statement, H2FLY said: “In just a few years, hydrogen-electric aircraft are expected to be able to transport 40 passengers simultaneously over a distance of up to 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles).»