Details
Original language | English |
---|---|
Article number | 124999 |
Journal | Applied energy |
Volume | 380 |
Early online date | 2 Dec 2024 |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 2 Dec 2024 |
Abstract
The final financial decisions on starting the commercialization of the next single-aisle aircraft programs for entry-into-service in the 2030s are due in less than 5 years. These programs will shape the future climate impact over the following 20–30 years of this aircraft segment and will determine if the sector can achieve its 2050 net-zero target. And so far, there are only limited holistic research perspectives available evaluating the best decarbonization options for such a crucial next product. This study provides a first-of-its-kind holistic evaluation approach for the business case of single-aisle hydrogen-(H2)-powered aircraft to enable true-zero CO2 flying. It combines the optimization of green liquid hydrogen (LH2) supply and aircraft designs as well as the investigation of operational strategies with such aircraft in one specific air traffic network. It is found that LH2 could cost around 2 to 3 USD/kg at main European airports in a 2050 scenario. Even though the aircraft with H2 direct combustion would be less efficient, average total operating costs would be 3% lower than flying with synthetic kerosene in the given network in 2050. As an operational strategy to save fuel costs, tankering might play an essential role in reducing operating costs for H2-powered aircraft in the early adoption phase with high differences in LH2 supply costs. Finally, it is derived that usage of LH2 as a fuel would lead to lower installation requirements of renewable energy generation capacity compared to the synthetic kerosene option. Since green electricity will be a constrained resource in the next decades, this is another important aspect for choosing future decarbonization options in air travel. All in all, the study proves the importance of the derived methodology leading to a broader techno-economic assessment for two decarbonization options in aviation. Such novel approaches might be further developed and applied to other related research topics in this field.
Keywords
- Air transport network optimization, Hydrogen aircraft design, Hydrogen airports, Hydrogen aviation, Hydrogen fuel supply, Liquid hydrogen, Tankering
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Engineering(all)
- Building and Construction
- Energy(all)
- Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
- Engineering(all)
- Mechanical Engineering
- Energy(all)
- General Energy
- Environmental Science(all)
- Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: Applied energy, Vol. 380, 124999, 15.02.2025.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - H2-powered aviation
T2 - Optimized aircraft and green LH2 supply in air transport networks
AU - Hoelzen, J.
AU - Silberhorn, D.
AU - Schenke, F.
AU - Stabenow, E.
AU - Zill, T.
AU - Bensmann, A.
AU - Hanke-Rauschenbach, R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024
PY - 2024/12/2
Y1 - 2024/12/2
N2 - The final financial decisions on starting the commercialization of the next single-aisle aircraft programs for entry-into-service in the 2030s are due in less than 5 years. These programs will shape the future climate impact over the following 20–30 years of this aircraft segment and will determine if the sector can achieve its 2050 net-zero target. And so far, there are only limited holistic research perspectives available evaluating the best decarbonization options for such a crucial next product. This study provides a first-of-its-kind holistic evaluation approach for the business case of single-aisle hydrogen-(H2)-powered aircraft to enable true-zero CO2 flying. It combines the optimization of green liquid hydrogen (LH2) supply and aircraft designs as well as the investigation of operational strategies with such aircraft in one specific air traffic network. It is found that LH2 could cost around 2 to 3 USD/kg at main European airports in a 2050 scenario. Even though the aircraft with H2 direct combustion would be less efficient, average total operating costs would be 3% lower than flying with synthetic kerosene in the given network in 2050. As an operational strategy to save fuel costs, tankering might play an essential role in reducing operating costs for H2-powered aircraft in the early adoption phase with high differences in LH2 supply costs. Finally, it is derived that usage of LH2 as a fuel would lead to lower installation requirements of renewable energy generation capacity compared to the synthetic kerosene option. Since green electricity will be a constrained resource in the next decades, this is another important aspect for choosing future decarbonization options in air travel. All in all, the study proves the importance of the derived methodology leading to a broader techno-economic assessment for two decarbonization options in aviation. Such novel approaches might be further developed and applied to other related research topics in this field.
AB - The final financial decisions on starting the commercialization of the next single-aisle aircraft programs for entry-into-service in the 2030s are due in less than 5 years. These programs will shape the future climate impact over the following 20–30 years of this aircraft segment and will determine if the sector can achieve its 2050 net-zero target. And so far, there are only limited holistic research perspectives available evaluating the best decarbonization options for such a crucial next product. This study provides a first-of-its-kind holistic evaluation approach for the business case of single-aisle hydrogen-(H2)-powered aircraft to enable true-zero CO2 flying. It combines the optimization of green liquid hydrogen (LH2) supply and aircraft designs as well as the investigation of operational strategies with such aircraft in one specific air traffic network. It is found that LH2 could cost around 2 to 3 USD/kg at main European airports in a 2050 scenario. Even though the aircraft with H2 direct combustion would be less efficient, average total operating costs would be 3% lower than flying with synthetic kerosene in the given network in 2050. As an operational strategy to save fuel costs, tankering might play an essential role in reducing operating costs for H2-powered aircraft in the early adoption phase with high differences in LH2 supply costs. Finally, it is derived that usage of LH2 as a fuel would lead to lower installation requirements of renewable energy generation capacity compared to the synthetic kerosene option. Since green electricity will be a constrained resource in the next decades, this is another important aspect for choosing future decarbonization options in air travel. All in all, the study proves the importance of the derived methodology leading to a broader techno-economic assessment for two decarbonization options in aviation. Such novel approaches might be further developed and applied to other related research topics in this field.
KW - Air transport network optimization
KW - Hydrogen aircraft design
KW - Hydrogen airports
KW - Hydrogen aviation
KW - Hydrogen fuel supply
KW - Liquid hydrogen
KW - Tankering
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85210761395&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.124999
DO - 10.1016/j.apenergy.2024.124999
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85210761395
VL - 380
JO - Applied energy
JF - Applied energy
SN - 0306-2619
M1 - 124999
ER -