Airbus UpNext has today (June 20) announced plans to trial the use of hydrogen fuel cells for auxiliary power onboard aircraft.
Under the new demonstrator programme, Airbus will utilise a modified Airbus A330 to utilise hydrogen fuel cells to replace the traditional Auxiliary Power Unit (APU), typically running on traditional jet fuel to provide air conditioning, onboard lighting and avionics.
Airbus plans on integrating the system and demonstrating the technology in real-world conditions by taking the aircraft up to 25,000ft and flying for one hour with 10kg of gaseous hydrogen onboard.
Set to be carried out at Airbus UpNext’s facilities in Spain, the company hopes the trial will facilitate the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions, NOx and noise level, while also contributing to maturing the safety and operation of future hydrogen-powered aircraft.
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