Montreal, Canada, 21 May 2024 - Airbus and ZeroAvia have signed three respective Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Canada's three busiest airports, Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL), Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to study the feasibility of hydrogen infrastructure at airports in Canada. The press event took place at the International Aerospace Innovation Forum, organized by Aéro Montréal.This is the first time that a feasibility study of this magnitude has taken place in Canada to pioneer hydrogen for aviation, with the three airports. It reflects the partners’ shared ambition to use their respective expertise to support the decarbonisation of the aviation industry (ICAO, ATAG and IATA) and to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Air transport is prime in the country because of its wide-spread geography. Not only does it connect to international cities but is also an important means of supplying critical connectivity domestically. Commercial flights in Canada enable the flows of goods, investments, people and ideas that are the fundamental drivers of economic growth. Air transport in Canada is forecast to grow by 51% in the next 20 years under the “current trends” scenario. This would result in an additional 39.8 million passenger journeys by 2037. (Source IATA Economics)This cooperation will provide better understanding of hydrogen aircraft concepts and operations, supply, infrastructure and refueling needs at airports, with the goal of developing the hydrogen aviation ecosystem across the country. The work will also collaborate to support the development of regulations and standards. Montreal is the home city of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and collaboration is a key driver to support a global framework.Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO, ZeroAvia, said: “We are bringing together Canada’s largest airports, the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer and the leading innovator in decarbonised propulsion technology, in order to progress the transition to hydrogen aviation. ZeroAvia flight testing demonstrates that hydrogen-powered commercial aviation is a prospect ahead of 2030, so we need to start working hard to prepare for the hydrogen infrastructure needed to support the aviation industry and airports as they step into a new golden age of clean flight.”Yves Beauchamp, President and CEO of ADM Aéroports de Montréal, said: "ADM is committed to decarbonizing airport operations and improving air quality at its YUL and YMX sites. The use of hydrogen as a fuel for aircraft is a forward-looking solution that fits perfectly with these goals. This partnership will allow our organization not only to better prepare for the introduction of this alternative in our airport operations, but above all to adequately plan the infrastructure required to offer it at YUL as early as 2035. As Montréal is the world's civil aviation capital, we are all the more proud that our city is playing a leading role in this sustainable innovation project."The use of hydrogen to power future aircraft is not only expected to significantly reduce aircraft emissions in the air, but could also help decarbonise air transport activities on the ground. In 2020, Airbus unveiled the first ZEROe concept with the ambition to bring to market the world's first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft by 2035. The development of the corresponding technology bricks is now underway in a global Research & Technology network.Airbus also launched the “Hydrogen Hub at Airports” programme to jumpstart research into infrastructure requirements and low-carbon airport operations, across the entire value chain. To date agreements have been announced with partners and airports in ten countries including France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden and the United Kingdom. ZEROe wishes to develop its hydrogen visibility and partnership network in North America. Therefore, there is a strong need to recruit partners in the region.Airbus has been in Canada for 40 years with more than 4,500 people working at the ten sites and offices of Airbus and its subsidiaries sourcing around C$2 billion annually from Canadian companies. Canada is also home of the A220 aircraft, where its main final assembly lines, pre-assembly line and main programme, engineering and customer services offices are located in Mirabel, Quebec. (ICE TORONTO)

Fonte notizia: https://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/