British Airways is teaming up with start-up ZeroAvia to explore the possibilities of using hydrogen to power commercial jets as it works to meet its parent company's target to be carbon neutral by 2050.
The partnership will see the legacy carrier collaborate with the hydrogen aircraft start-up to explore more sustainable options to fuel British Airways' future fleet, it said in a statement on Saturday.
"In the medium to longer term we’re investing in the development of sustainable aviation fuel and looking at how we can help accelerate the growth of new technologies such as zero emissions hydrogen-powered aircraft," Sean Doyle, chief executive of British Airways, said.
The aviation industry is under high pressure from climate change activists to be more environment friendly but the global airlines' main lobby group says aviation only represents 2 per cent of global CO2 emissions. The International Air Transport Association pledged to cut net emissions by 2050 and achieve carbon-neutral growth from 2020.
The project is part of British Airways parent IAG’s Hangar 51 technology accelerator programme, which gives start-ups from around the world the opportunity to test their products on a global scale.
ZeroAvia, which is based in London and California, has already completed a hydrogen fuel cell-powered flight by a six-seater plane in September. The company is aiming to demonstrate its technology at longer ranges and larger aircraft next year.
By 2023, it aims to fly more than 1,000-miles in aircraft with more than 100 seats.
"We have found that in addition to improving the sustainability of flight, which is vital, hydrogen-electric technology has the potential to lower operating costs and improve the in-flight passenger experience," Sergey Kiselev, ZeroAvia’s ZeroAvia's head of Europe, said.
At the end of the programme, research and learnings from the project will be shared and the ZeroAvia and Hangar 51 teams will consider how the partnership will progress over the long term, according to the statement.
Hydrogen is rapidly emerging as a potential solution to tackle aviation's carbon emissions.
Toulouse-based aircraft-manufacturing giant Airbus earlier revealed plans to build a hydrogen-powered aircraft as it seeks to bring the world's first emissions-free passenger plane into service by 2035.
However, challenges to such projects include infrastructure at airports, increased funding for research and development, and incentives for airlines to retire older, less environmentally-friendly aircraft earlier than scheduled.
MATCH INFO
South Africa 66 (Tries: De Allende, Nkosi, Reinach (3), Gelant, Steyn, Brits, Willemse; Cons: Jantjies 8)
Canada 7 (Tries: Heaton; Cons: Nelson)
The%20specs
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Also on December 7 to 9, the third edition of the Gulf Car Festival (www.gulfcarfestival.com) will take over Dubai Festival City Mall, a new venue for the event. Last year's festival brought together about 900 cars worth more than Dh300 million from across the Emirates and wider Gulf region – and that first figure is set to swell by several hundred this time around, with between 1,000 and 1,200 cars expected. The first day is themed around American muscle; the second centres on supercars, exotics, European cars and classics; and the final day will major in JDM (Japanese domestic market) cars, tuned vehicles and trucks. Individuals and car clubs can register their vehicles, although the festival isn’t all static displays, with stunt drifting, a rev battle, car pulls and a burnout competition.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
GROUPS AND FIXTURES
Group A
UAE, Italy, Japan, Spain
Group B
Egypt, Iran, Mexico, Russia
Tuesday
4.15pm: Italy v Japan
5.30pm: Spain v UAE
6.45pm: Egypt v Russia
8pm: Iran v Mexico