MTU Aero Engines and Airbus to collaborate on advancing hydrogen fuel cell technology
MTU Aero Engines and Airbus announced at the Paris Air Show this week that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on hydrogen fuel cell propulsion, a critical technology to help decarbonise aviation.
The MoU was signed during the 55th International Paris Air Show by Dr Stefan Weber, MTU’s SVP Engineering and Technology and Bruno Fichefeux, Airbus' Head of Future Programmes.
The partnership draws on the combined expertise of Airbus, a leading aircraft manufacturer and pioneer in hydrogen-powered aviation through its ZEROe project, and MTU Aero Engines, a globally recognised engine expert for aircraft.
The joint efforts are the first step in paving the way for future hydrogen technology development. Image ©MTUAeroEngines
It follows Airbus' decision to focus its research effort on a fully electric, hydrogen-powered aircraft with a fuel cell engine, a field in which MTU has developed recognised expertise through its Flying Fuel Cell concept.
The agreement sets out a three-step roadmap for the development of a hydrogen-powered fuel cell engine suitable for the commercial aviation market. The first step is to mature the technological building blocks essential for the engine through joint research projects, such as Clean Aviation.
The second step will involve aligning the two partners' research and technology roadmaps on hydrogen technologies. The result of these joint explorations could then allow a third step towards the development of a fuel-cell engine for hydrogen-powered aircraft.
Bruno Fichefeux said: “Our focus on fully electric fuel cell propulsion technology for future hydrogen-powered aircraft underscores our confidence and progress in this domain.
“Collaborating with MTU is a perfect complement to our own advancements. This partnership will allow us to pool our collective knowledge, accelerate the maturation of critical technologies, and ultimately deliver a revolutionary hydrogen-powered propulsion system for future commercial aircraft.”
Dr Stefan Weber added: “We are driven by the vision of a revolutionary propulsion concept that allows virtually emissions-free flight.
“We are at the centre of a wide-ranging eco-system of partners aiming to achieve the complete electrification of the powertrain by using fuel cell technology.
“Partnering with Airbus opens up the possibility to jointly address both technology maturity and platform integration aspects. Our joint efforts in the years to come are the first step in paving the way for future product development.”
For more information, visit www.mtu.de and www.airbus.com.