Page 11 - AsiaElec Week 08 2023

AsiaElec HYDROGEN AsiaElec

New Zealand leads sustainable

hydrogen aviation development

Purpose built 400 hectare site hosting consortium behind project

NEW ZEALAND NEW Zealand’s Hiringa Energy, along with Air turbocharge what we all learn. Together we’ll make
New Zealand and a trio of other companies includ- a big difference in taking zero-emission aviation
ing Christchurch Airport on the nation’s South forward, which is good news to anyone who wants
Island, Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) and Fab- to fly sustainably in the future.”
rum, have formed a hydrogen consortium to power Similarly committed to the use of green hydro-
the country’s future aviation plans. gen in future aviation ventures is Hiringa Energy,
“Major progress is being made,” Christchurch a North Island green hydrogen producer and
Airport’s CEO Justin Watson said, adding: “there supplier.
have been successful test flights of zero-emission “There are green hydrogen-fuelled buses,
aircraft already. There are new sustainable avi- trucks, trains and boats already in service – some
ation fuels that can cut emissions by up to 80% of them we have been refuelling here in New Zea-
and a huge amount of research is going into how land, including the Emirates Team New Zealand
to commercialise these solutions. The Hydro- chase boat,” said Andrew Clennett, the firm’s CEO.
gen Consortium will see some of the world’s best “Aircraft are a key next step, and this consor-
experts collaborate on one of the most promising tium has formed to ensure these planes have the
zero-emission fuels – green hydrogen.” infrastructure and hydrogen supply they will need
Operating out of a 400-hectare renewable site to take off here,” he added.
named Kowhai Park currently under development Currently working on research into the
at Christchurch’s International Airport, the con- required infrastructure to support a hydro-
sortium is working primarily on the development gen-based aviation industry in New Zealand, the
of next generation green hydrogen-powered air- consortium is aiming at eventual test flights of
craft and required infrastructure to support them. hydrogen-powered aircraft once local supply and
“The consortium we are building brings hydrogen needs have been fully researched and
together a number of pioneering partners with met.
a common interest: to make hydrogen-powered The domestic flag carrier, Air New Zealand, has
aviation in New Zealand a reality,” said Karine already set the twin goals of a commercial demon-
Guenan, vice president of the ZEROe Ecosystem stration flight from 2026, in addition to bringing
at Airbus. into service low-emission aircraft from 2030, in
Airbus is known to be working together with place of existing turboprops.
the consortium to produce the world’s first hydro- Speaking of the consortium’s work, Air New
gen-powered passenger aircraft by the mid-2030s. Zealand’s chief sustainability officer, Kiri Han-
Key to the overall success of the project is nifin, said: “to fly hydrogen-powered aircraft in
Fabrum, a local Christchurch liquid hydrogen New Zealand we will need an aviation ecosystem
specialist. that can support it. The Hydrogen Consortium
According to the firm’s co-founder Christopher brings together energy, aircraft, airline operator
Boyle, “the consortium pulls together some of the and airport expertise with the aim of bringing this
world’s best experts in green hydrogen – having all to life. We can’t wait to see what we can achieve
of these organisations around the same table will together.”™

Week 08 22 •February•2023 www. NEWSBASE .com P11