H2 break it to you, the UK is missing a massive opportunity with hydrogen flight – Inside track

As the UK government targets economic growth as its key priority, few opportunities offer quite as much promise as the development of hydrogen aircraft. Not only would it position the UK at the forefront of solving one of the knottiest climate problems, but it would also support the revival of manufacturing, drive infrastructure investment and create 1,000s of skilled jobs.

The history of aviation is rooted in the UK, and zero emission aviation is the perfect chance to capitalise on this expertise. It’s an exciting opportunity to engineer our way to a greener future.

With the right strategy and investment, hydrogen-powered aviation could become a cornerstone of the country’s industrial economy and position it ahead of the world on this vital clean technology, all while creating jobs to help revive communities across the country.

The emissions from flying will become an increasingly obvious problem. As other big emitting sectors, like power, road transport and heavy industry, clean up their acts, aviation will become more and more of an outlier if it remains stubbornly unchanged in the period to 2050.

In 2023, the industry contributed nine per cent of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, in 2050 this will balloon to a staggering 59 per cent, unless things change.

SAF isn’t the route to zero emission aviation So, what are the options? The government is currently putting most of its eggs in one basket: sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Investing only in this technology is problematic for a number of reasons (not least the limits of its scalability and sustainability) and it will not be anywhere near sufficient enough to bring aviation emissions down to the level needed.

Similarly, investing heaps of money into improving fossil fuel efficiency for incremental gains, will help slightly in the short run, will not provide a route that can save more than a small percentage of emissions. This will allow some companies to benefit significantly from a small deviation from the status quo, it’s a distraction from the need to transform aviation more fundamentally.

Instead, the focus should be on new aircraft development. Hydrogen and battery electric planes have great potential. Hydrogen, in particular, is a good option for the UK for two reasons. First, China is leading the way with batteries but the UK has an early advantage on hydrogen it should capitalise on. And, second, 96 per cent of the UK’s aviation emissions come from international flights and, due to the size, weight and capacity of the aircraft needed, hydrogen is much more likely to be the source of power for longer, high capacity flights.

Here are five reasons the UK should be taking hydrogen flight seriously:

1. We’ve always led the way on new aerospace technologies

The co-creator of the jet engine, Sir Frank Whittle, came from Coventry. The UK has a long and proud history of aerospace innovation. From Concorde to Rolls-Royce, British engineers and designers have helped shape modern aviation. That experience, skill base, and industrial ecosystem is still here, and hydrogen should be the next frontier.

2. We’re expert at manufacturing the parts needed

The UK already manufactures major aircraft components, such as high grade materials, wings, engines and turbines. Such supply chains will be key to unlocking and scaling up all the stages of hydrogen aircraft manufacture, including propulsion systems, fuel storage and aircraft designs.

3. We have a head start

Companies with operations in the UK like ZeroAvia are already leading the way in hydrogen flight, with successful test flights and growing investment. The opportunity is there for this to form the basis of a larger, thriving UK based zero emission flight industry. For it to reach commercial scale, the industry needs more co-ordinated support with sufficient R&D and commercialisation funding.

4. There will be a global market

Countries like China and Japan have consistently stayed at the cutting edge of emerging technologies, reaping the benefits in terms of jobs, exports and greater industrial resilience. The UK, in contrast, has faced decades of industrial decline, compounded by the lack of long term planning and insufficient focus on the need for a fair industrial transition.

If the UK takes the lead on hydrogen aircraft technology, we stand to gain thousands of jobs, new exports and a boost for the industrial regions.

5. We can export innovation and help to cut global aviation emissions

By taking the lead, the UK won’t only reduce its own carbon footprint but it will help to accelerate aviation decarbonisation worldwide. Innovations we pioneer could shape global industry standards and technologies.

This relies on a long term approach by the government. As with any major industrial shift, it will need proper planning, and new infrastructure and investment. But, by aligning public and private investment, supporting the early movers and the key players, and committing to a strategy, it could capture the hydrogen aviation market before others get in on the game. We should not let this chance fly by.

For more on Green Alliance’s recommendations to the government on how to develop zero emission aviation in the UK, read our recent report Flying start.