‘Flying on hydrogen will become a reality faster, thanks in part to the STB subsidy’
Rotterdam is the ultimate place to realise innovative CO2-neutral solutions. But it goes without saying that this doesn’t just simply happen. Companies need financial support in order to be able to jointly form Europe’s Hydrogen Hub. That’s why the City of Rotterdam has allocated part of its Sustainability Transition Budget to hydrogen projects. Marlies Hak, innovator at Rotterdam The Hague Airport and part of the Hydro Generation, explains how the company is using the subsidy to make flying with hydrogen a reality in the short term.
There’s a good chance the first aircraft will be flying on hydrogen within the next few years. Obviously fantastic, but are our airports ready for this too? Hak assures us Rotterdam The Hague Airport and the Rotterdam The Hague Innovation Airport Foundation (RHIA) are doing everything within their power to make this happen: “We’re working with regional, national and international partners within the DutcH2 Aviation Hub programme to accelerate flying on hydrogen. Hydrogen naturally forms a crucial part of this, as well as everything associated with it: from production, supply and storage, to refuelling and education”.
Financial support for the hydrogen aircraft test plan
The innovator is very happy with the City of Rotterdam’s STB subsidy. Financial support is desperately needed in order to get various hydrogen projects off the ground. The subsidy will allow for a variety of tests with a converted hydrogen aircraft to be carried out. “We’re doing this in collaboration with TU Delft’s AeroDelft student team. We’ll make sure they’ll have access to our site for testing whenever they’re ready. From starting up the engine and testing the propellers, right through to taxiing and, of course, refuelling. And this is obviously going to be happening at a fully operational airport. We have never done this before and it will certainly provide us with many new insights”.
Learning about taxiing and refuelling on hydrogen was the starting point when applying for this subsidy, according to Hak. “Refuelling may well sound simple, but even this process is quite involved. Gaseous or liquid hydrogen refuelling is done via a different type of infrastructure. Working with gaseous hydrogen is somewhat easier, so we’ll be starting with that. But you can fly for longer on liquid hydrogen, so that will definitely be interesting in the longer term”.
Pipeline from filling station to airport
Another project which RTHA is receiving a subsidy for is the hydrogen pipeline which connects the airport with a Fountain Fuel hydrogen filling station. Hak: “We’ll be conducting a feasibility study to find out whether we can extend a pipeline from the filling station to the airside – the secured area where the aircraft are refuelled and take off or land”.
The hydrogen filling station has its own storage facility. RTHA can tap gaseous hydrogen through the pipeline. The airport can supply gaseous hydrogen, so-called boil-off, back to the filling station at the same time. However, we’re not expecting this to become a reality until after 2035. “If liquid hydrogen is stored for a long time, part of the liquid evaporates and boil-off hydrogen gas is subsequently formed. It would naturally be a shame not to use this, so the idea is to collect this gaseous hydrogen and supply it back to the filling station through the pipeline. And this will then be used to fuel cars and trucks”, Hak explains.
The hydrogen storage at the RTHA site also offers another research opportunity. That’s because it will instantly also become a test location for hydrogen sensors. “Of course we don’t want any hydrogen to escape. That’s why we need to ensure leaks can instantly be detected, which will then result in a signal being sent to the fire service and the airport’s security services. This is new for airports. Learning how this detection works is of crucial importance. It’s also going to be interesting because we’ll be linking it to incident response. We’ll thereby be working together with the Netherlands Aerospace Centre. The subsidy will allow us to purchase the sensors and test the various different forms of detection”, Hak tells us.
From a turboprop aircraft to a hydrogen model
The Conscious Aerospace project is the final one to be able to conduct a feasibility and safety study thanks to the STB subsidy. This company wants to develop a large hydrogen aircraft at the RTHA site, which will be ready to embark on its first commercial flight from Rotterdam to London in 2028, with around 30 passengers on board. Hak: “The aircraft, a propeller plane, will be arriving in our hangar. The hydrogen powertrain will be tested here, in other words, the functioning of the electric engine together with the fuel cell and hydrogen”.
Various connections to the electricity and hydrogen network are going to be needed for this testing. Between 1 to 2 megawatts of electricity will be required. All of these connections form part of the study. “We need to abide by various safety standards and certain distances. We’ll be discovering exactly how it all works by actually doing it”, Hak says. That’s exactly why RTHA and RHIA are fully committed to all kinds of different projects which are focussed on implementation. “We’re not building castles in the air; we’re practical and learning as we go. That’s simply the most effective method. You’re never going to progress very quickly on paper alone”.
‘The government must offer companies more encouragement’
In addition to Rotterdam’s hands-on mentality, Hak also feels more support is needed from both the government and companies. “Companies are a little hesitant, as this naturally involves a great deal of money. We’re currently in the midst of a learning and development phase. The benefits are therefore not yet visible. This is going to involve huge investments, which you won’t be reaping the benefits from for the next 10 years. That’s why we’re also trying to obtain subsidies, in addition to attracting investors. The government can certainly get the ball rolling more by encouraging companies to take action”. The innovator is also of the opinion that a great deal can be gained in the field of education and perception. “We’re training our people at the airport in how to use hydrogen. We’re also informing future passengers and, for example, local residents about all the myths and facts surrounding hydrogen”.
An exemplary role as an airport and region
The fact that Rotterdam and RTHA/RHIA are perfectly suited to their role as pioneers in the field of flying on hydrogen has everything to do with their location. “There’s a great deal of activity around hydrogen in the port. It has profiled itself as the ultimate European hydrogen hub. At the same time, it certainly also makes it very interesting for us as an airport, with mainly medium-haul flights. Hydrogen is going to be perfect for that in the long term”.
Internationally, RTHA is considered to have an exemplary position where innovative CO2-neutral solutions are concerned. Hak: “I’m regularly told we’re already far ahead. We don’t always seem to be aware of this ourselves. You really only fully realise this when you hear reactions from international colleagues. And we can now showcase this even more, together with Rotterdam and the region”.
The Hydro Generation
Allow yourself to become inspired by the other Hydro Generation entrepreneurs and read all about why they think Rotterdam is Europe’s ultimate hydrogen hub.