Hydrogen Ireland Board Member, Dr Rory Monaghan from NUIG spoke at the recent Energy Ireland 2020 Conference. Dr Monaghan spoke in the group session, ‘Decarbonising the Gas Network’ , on the subject of ‘Driving renewable hydrogen deployment in Ireland’.
Meanwhile in a separate development hydrogen development European aerospace corporation Airbus has come up with three airplane designs that rely on hydrogen power — rather than polluting aviation-grade kerosene.
The concepts, collectively known as “ZEROe,” are part of the company’s efforts to bring the first zero-carbon commercial jet into service by 2035, Bloomberg reports.
One design is designed to carry up to 200 passengers with a range of 2,000 nautical miles. The design includes a hydrogen-powered turbofan, which is spun by a modified gas-turbine engine. Liquid hydrogen would be stored and distributed via tanks in the back of the plane.
The second design, meant for up to 100 passengers, uses a turboprop engine, also running on hydrogen. It’s meant for short-haul trips, covering 1,000 nautical miles or so.
A third — the most out-there among the three — is designed to seat 200 passengers. The concept merges the wings with the main body, creating a massive open space. “The exceptionally wide fuselage opens up multiple options for hydrogen storage and distribution, and for cabin layout,” an Airbus statement reads.
