Airbus delays plans for this green technology

Airbus delays hydrogen-powered aircraft

By Mark Reif Published February 12, 2025

airbus delays hydrogen aircraft portrait zeroe blended wing concept planes infographic ai copie — Airbus

Airbus is delaying plans to build a hydrogen-powered airliner by 2035. The company’s ZEROe initiative of 2020 set to design a 100-person aircraft fueled by hydrogen, with engine tests beginning in the late 2020s on an Airbus A380. Now, the company plans to instead focus on testing ducted and unducted engines powered by sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for its next-generation single-aisle plane.

Technology hurdles caused the delay

Airbus ZEROe aircraft — Airbus

The French AFP news agency was the first to report the delay, which came about after a late 2024 review. That found many technology hurdles that hampered the development of a hydrogen-powered aircraft. Still, Airbus told Aviation Week it’s “committed to our goal of bringing a commercially viable, fully electric hydrogen-powered aircraft to market. This commitment aligns with our ambition to lead aviation decarbonization and support the industry’s long-term sustainability goals.”

Recommended Videos

The company added: “We recognize that developing a hydrogen ecosystem—including infrastructure, production, distribution and regulatory frameworks—is a huge challenge requiring global collaboration and investment. Recent developments indicate that progress on key enablers, particularly the availability of hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources at scale, is slower than anticipated.”

Signs of the delay appeared in December when hydrogen projects disappeared from RFPs for the next phase of Europe’s Clean Aviation research project. Airbus will still focus on clean, green technologies by testing new-generation engine concepts for the successor to the A320neo. That process began in 2022, with the company partnering with GE Aerospace and Safran joint venture company CFM International on the Revolutionary Innovation for Sustainable Engine (RISE) open fan technology program.

Mark Reif is a writer from Stowe, Vermont. During the winter, he works as a snowboard coach and rides more than 100 days. The…

Travel

Delta recognized for this sustainability initiative

Delta makes list of innovative companies

Delta plane over green hills

Fast Company has named Delta Air Lines one of the world’s Most Innovative Companies, marking the airline’s fifth appearance on the list. This year, the carrier earned the No. 3 spot in the Corporate Social Responsibility category for using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). Delta was the only airline to make the list.
SAF is key to Delta’s sustainability efforts

Charlotte Lollar, Director of SAF at Delta, said: “Meaningful change doesn’t happen overnight. But decisions and actions we make today are vital to securing the future of air travel. SAF is a relatively new technology and also one of the most critical levers available today to decarbonize aviation in the short and medium term. That’s why we’re working across the industry and beyond to scale it.”

Travel

Emirates expands A350 service to these seven destinations

Emirates adds A350 service to seven more destinations

emirates a350 network expansion air to

Emirates will continue expanding its Airbus A350 network, adding service to Oslo, Tunis, Amman, Istanbul, Dammam, Ho Chi Minh City, and Baghdad. With more daily flights, the airline’s A350 schedule from Bahrain and Kuwait will also grow. Lastly, Bologna will receive its first A350 one month ahead of schedule, on June 1.
The Emirates A350 offers three cabins and state-of-the-art tech
Emirates A350 Economy Class Emirates

The Emirates A350 accommodates 312 passengers across three cabin classes. The Business Class cabin has space for 32 in a 1-2-1 configuration, with lie-flat seats and a mini-bar with snacks. Premium Economy has 21 seats, and Economy Class has room for 259 passengers. The newest onboard products complement the flight and high-tech offerings, consisting of wireless charging in Business Class, 60-watt USB-C charging on all seats, touchscreen call bell buttons on inflight ice screens, and the availability of two Bluetooth connections for headphones.

Travel

JetBlue adds regular supply of sustainable aviation fuel at this East Coast hub

JetBlue now has a regular supply of SAF at JFK Airport

jetblue saf jfk airport a220 hops tailfin

JetBlue and its fuel partners are celebrating the first-ever regular supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). It’s a turning point for SAF availability in the Northeast and follows last summer’s announcement by JetBlue, where the company outlined a 12-month agreement with World Fuel Services (World Fuel), a World Kinect company (NYSE: WKC), for at least 1 million gallons of neat SAF to be procured by Valero Marketing and Supply Company (Valero), an arm of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE: VLO).
JetBlue’s corporate partners help make the SAF supply possible

JetBlue’s corporate business partners help cover the cost difference between traditional fuel and SAF. That support allows an additional four million gallons of neat SAF, according to the terms of the agreement. An even supply of SAF is made possible by Diamond Green Diesel LLC—a joint venture between a Valero affiliate and Darling Ingredients Inc. affiliate — who produces the fuel, which is then mixed with traditional jet fuel by Valero to make blended SAF. World Fuel delivers that through current infrastructure, and JetBlue then claims it to use at JFK Airport. Blended SAF can be used as a substitute for traditional fuel on modern aircraft and can reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80%.