This week saw progress in plans to lessen aviation’s huge environmental consequences when Rolls-Royce and EasyJet said they had tested a jet engine on the ground that utilized hydrogen generated by tidal and wind energy. The world’s largest aerospace company, Rolls-Royce, praised the announcement as a milestone and stated it was the first run of a contemporary aircraft engine on hydrogen in a new release. This isn’t to be confused with Rolls-Royce Cars, which is acquired by BMW.
The test, which was conducted in the UK outdoors, made use of a regional aircraft engine modified by Rolls-Royce, which is traded on the London Stock Exchange. The Orkney Archipelago, located in waters to the north of mainland Scotland, is home to the European Marine Power Centre, which provided hydrogen. So far, it’s a clear illustration that shows how business model innovation can revolutionize the way that we live our lives.
The applications of hydrogen
Hydrogen has several uses and may be used in a variety of sectors, according to the International Energy Agency, which calls it a versatile energy carrier. Electrolysis is one of the many ways to generate it. The process involves dividing water into hydrogen and oxygen using an electric current. Some refer to hydrogen as “green” or “renewable” if the electricity utilized in this process originates from a renewable source, such as wind or tidal energy. Most hydrogen produced today is done so using fossil fuels.
The use of hydrogen to fuel a combustion engine is distinct from the use of hydrogen in hydrogen fuel cells, which produces electricity when hydrogen from a tank reacts with oxygen. Fuel-cell electric cars don’t have any tailpipe emissions, They only release warm air and water vapor. ICEs powered by hydrogen can release additional emissions. Hydrogen engines emit almost none or very little CO2 but they can generate nitro oxides or NOx.
Goals of Industry
The World Wildlife Fund notes that aviation has a sizable environmental impact and is one of the quickest sources of greenhouse gas emissions trying to drive global climate change. Air travel is now the most emissions-intensive activity a person can perform, according to the WWF. Aviation may face substantial challenges if we don’t manage to reduce carbon emissions at the proper rate. In the mid-and long-term, hydrogen planes.
While the idea of hydrogen planes & their potential has generated significant interest, much more has to be done to make the technology commercially viable and deploy it widely. We also ought, to be honest for the coming years because there isn’t a technology available that will replace carbon, and jet aviation, therefore we may not see any.
The source of the hydrogen itself is the other crucial concern, as it will significantly affect the environmental advantages it may offer. The so-called green hydrogen is created by splitting water into its parts, hydrogen, and oxygen, using an electric current. The necessary electricity is generated utilizing wind and wave energy. As a result, it is a highly clean fuel.
However, the majority of the hydrogen generated for industrial usage today comes from a procedure that involves combining high-pressure, high-temperature vapor with natural gas. A sizable quantity of carbon dioxide is produced as a result, which is subsequently released into the air. It also needs a lot of energy, which is frequently produced by the combustion of fossil fuels. Blue hydrogen is one possible replacement. While still being created in the same manner, this captures the carbon dioxide and either retain it or uses it again. Theoretically, this ought to result in cleaner, low-carbon gasoline.
