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2023-10-01

New Zealand Gears Up for Greener Flight Path

A new report by the New Zealand Hydrogen Aviation Consortium (NZHAC) outlines a plan to remove up to 900,000 tonnes of carbon emissions from the country’s domestic aviation sector by 2050. The report, titled “Launching green hydrogen powered aviation in Aotearoa New Zealand”, proposes the use of hydrogen-fuelled aircraft on short-haul routes.

Hydrogen is a clean fuel that produces no emissions when burned, making it a promising option for decarbonising aviation.

The Consortium comprises six international businesses — Airbus, Air New Zealand, Christchurch Airport, Fortescue, Hiringa Energy and Fabrum.

Launched in February 2023, the Consortium has diligently scrutinised the hydrogen supply chain, assessed the anticipated hydrogen needs within the local aviation market, and outlined the essential steps for establishing a thriving hydrogen ecosystem for aviation in New Zealand.

It has also developed recommendations for the regulations and incentives needed to support the transition to a green hydrogen aviation system.

Distinct Advantage

Airbus is actively engaged in the development of the world’s inaugural hydrogen aircraft designed for commercial operation.

According to Karine Guenan, Vice President of the ZEROe Ecosystem at Airbus, New Zealand holds a distinct advantage in spearheading the testing and implementation of environmentally friendly, low-carbon aircraft technology.

“The country’s large potential renewable electricity and water resources are key advantages while the size of aircraft used and the length of routes flown match the capabilities of hydrogen-powered aircraft. This report lays out the ecosystem required to make that happen. It is a first step and Airbus is committed to leveraging our expertise to work with government, industries and other stakeholders to bring it to life,” says Guenan.

Christchurch-based company Fabrum, led by Chairman and Co-Founder Christopher Boyle, is actively involved in hydrogen aviation projects internationally. Boyle emphasises that green hydrogen plays a pivotal role in the future of sustainable aviation.

“Our team co-developed the world’s first electric aircraft engine for Magnix and built superconducting electric motors and rotors for Safran and Airbus. We’re currently manufacturing green hydrogen systems for airports and on-board liquid hydrogen tanks for low emission flights. The opportunity to use our experience to ensure green hydrogen aviation takes off in New Zealand is exciting.”

Air New Zealand’s Chief Sustainability Officer, Kiri Hannifin, sees the report as a potential blueprint for hydrogen-powered aviation in New Zealand.

The report shows that to enable green hydrogen aviation to take off, New Zealand will need to include scaling up affordable renewable energy sources, expanding electricity transmission infrastructure, establishing supportive policies and regulations, implementing safety measures for hydrogen production and distribution, and improving cost-effectiveness in green hydrogen production and supply.

Consortium’s Modelling

The Consortium’s modelling suggests that by 2050, New Zealand could require around 100,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year for hydrogen-fuelled aircraft, primarily for Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch airports.

Christchurch Airport’s Nick Flack notes that generating the necessary green hydrogen would require around 6,700 gigawatt-hours of renewable energy.

Fortescue’s Global Aviation Lead Amy Barrett says while establishing green hydrogen aviation in New Zealand will be challenging, the report indicates it’s a practical and implementable solution.

“Aviation, like our own iron ore operations, is one of the hard-to-abate sectors. Hard-to-abate doesn’t mean impossible to decarbonise — it just requires a lot of effort and long-term commitment.”

Hiringa Energy’s CEO, Andrew Clennett, stresses the report’s focus on the necessity of having the required physical and regulatory infrastructure to trial and deploy low-emission aircraft in New Zealand.

Green Hydrogen

For airlines to meet their ambitions to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, they need to phase out the use of fossil fuels.

Green hydrogen is one of the potential solutions the aviation sector is planning to use. Others include Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) which can cut emissions by up to 80 per cent, electric, battery-electric aircraft, infrastructure and operational efficiencies, and offsets and carbon capture.

Green hydrogen is employed to power various modes of transportation, including cars, buses, trucks, and boats, such as the America’s Cup chase boat “Chase Zero” utilised by Emirates Team New Zealand.

Hydrogen fuel cells have undergone successful trials for aircraft propulsion abroad. The subsequent phase involves developing technology capable of utilising liquid hydrogen, which boasts higher energy density and enhanced transportability compared to gaseous hydrogen, as an aircraft power source.

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