Development of scenarios for hydrogen-powered aviation for the year 2050

Bachelor thesis / Student research project

Supervisor: Karen Ohmstede

Through the combustion of fossil fuels and the resulting emission of carbon dioxide (CO2), the transport sector contributes significantly to the depletion of resources and to global climate change. As a result, both government regulations and the efforts of the European Union are aimed at reducing CO2 emissions from the transport sector. A large proportion of emissions in the transport sector are attributable to the aviation sector. In contrast to car-driven transport, the use of battery technologies in aviation is not very promising. A promising alternative for reducing emissions in the aviation industry is the use of hydrogen in the short and medium-haul segments.

Airbus is already planning the market introduction of hydrogen aircraft in 2035. Before hydrogen can be used commercially as a fuel, the infrastructure required to supply airports with hydrogen must first be built. The dimensioning of the individual components in the hydrogen supply chain and the structural connection of these depends on the amount of hydrogen required. In the aviation industry, these quantities depend on the number of hydrogen aircraft in use. What will the aviation industry look like in 2050 and what role will hydrogen aircraft play?

As part of a bachelor thesis or student research project, scenarios for the market penetration of hydrogen aircraft in 2050 are to be developed based on a structured literature analysis. The aim of the thesis is to identify and classify published contributions. In particular, interactions with other sectors on hydrogen demand and external influencing factors on the aviation sector are to be worked out. 

If you are interested, please contact Karen Ohmstede