Rolls-Royce and easyJet announced on Nov. 29 the world’s first run of a modern aero engine on hydrogen.
The ground test was conducted on an early concept demonstrator that used green hydrogen generated by wind and tidal power. The trial marks a major milestone in proving that hydrogen has the potential to become a zero-carbon aviation fuel.
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Rolls-Royce and easyJet are now planning a second set of tests, with a longer-term ambition to carry out flight tests. The partnership between the two companies is inspired by the UN-supported Race to Zero campaign.
The test was conducted at an outdoor test facility at MoD Boscombe Down, UK using a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A regional aircraft engine. The green hydrogen was supplied by EMEC (European Marine Energy Centre).
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