A World First: Rolls-Royce Successfully Tests Hydrogen Jet Engine

Rolls-Royce and easyJet announced that they have broken new ground by successfully testing a hydrogen-fueled jet engine. Both companies aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from aviation to zero with green hydrogen.

While climate changes that threaten the future of our planet continue to increase their impact day by day, many different sectors are making moves for a greener future. Aviation, which has an important role in carbon emissions, is one of these areas.

That’s why prominent names in the aviation industry have rolled up their sleeves to produce more environmentally friendly aircraft. The information received now shows that an important step has been taken in this regard. Rolls-Royce, one of the first companies that come to mind when it comes to aircraft engines, announced that they have signed a first in the world with the European airline company easyJet.

Rolls-Royce and easyJet announced today that they have successfully tested a hydrogen jet engine. Rolls-Royce called it “the world’s first modern hydrogen-powered aircraft engine” in a press release yesterday. Both companies hope the technology will one day eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation industry.

Let’s talk briefly about why hydrogen is preferred in aviation. Aviation is considered one of the most difficult sectors to make environmentally friendly. This is because electric airplanes are much more difficult to build than electric cars. Although there are moves on electric planes, batteries that can be charged with renewable energies such as solar and wind are still not suitable for long flights. That’s why aviation companies are turning to cleaner fuels, such as hydrogen, which produces water vapor instead of carbon dioxide, as an alternative.

Rolls-Royce and easyJet conducted a ground test in the UK using a Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A aircraft engine. The European Marine Energy Center also produced the fuel for testing at a facility located in the country’s Orney Islands.

With these moves, both companies took their green hydrogen steps further and made significant progress towards zero emission targets in aviation. However, we can say that the road is still long in this regard. This is because green hydrogen is very expensive and insufficient these days.