Rolls-Royce successfully tests hydrogen-powered jet engine
Britain's Rolls-Royce said it has successfully run an aircraft engine on hydrogen, a world aviation first that marks a major step towards proving the gas could be key to decarbonising air travel.
The ground test, using a converted Rolls-Royce AE 2100-A regional aircraft engine, used green hydrogen created by wind and tidal power, the British company said on Monday.
Rolls and its testing program partner easyJet are seeking to prove that hydrogen can safely and efficiently deliver power for civil aero engines.
They said they were already planning a second set of tests, with a longer-term ambition to carry out flight tests.
Hydrogen is one of a number of competing technologies that could help the aviation industry achieve its goal of becoming net zero by 2050.
Planemaker Airbus is working with French-U.S. engine maker CFM International to test hydrogen propulsion technology.
It said in February it planned to fit a specially adapted version of a current generation engine near the back of an A380 superjumbo test plane.
The aircraft manufacturer however told the European Union in 2021 that most airliners will rely on traditional jet engines until at least 2050.
A switch to hydrogen-powered engines would require a complete redesign of airframes and infrastructure at airports.
Eric Schulz, chief executive of SHZ Consulting, said in July that the changes in design are so massive it would take more than one generation of aircraft to get there.
Other technologies backed by companies such as Rolls-Royce include electric engines, which would be initially suitable for short flights, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
Engines that are already in service can use a mixture of SAF and conventional fuels, but it is only currently produced in miniscule levels.
It could eventually be produced by combining carbon captured from the air with green hydrogen, but the process is energy intensive and not yet available on a large scale.
RISKIN REPORTS
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Q & A with a Russian warfare expert: 'This is not a proxy war' with the U.S.
With the anniversary of Ukraine's invasion by Russia around the corner, CTV News sat down with a Russian warfare expert to discuss how he sees the conflict playing out and what happens next.

Extreme cold warnings spread across Canada as arctic chill approaches Eastern provinces
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada, as of Thursday morning there were extreme cold or winter storm warnings active from coast to coast, with the harshest extreme cold warnings stretching from northern Alberta all the way to Nova Scotia.
Would you pay $300 a year for quick access to a nurse? Dealing with demand, Ontario doctors get creative
Paid subscriptions to on-demand care are among the many strategies primary health-care providers in Ontario are adopting in order to meet increased demand for access to doctors in the past year, while also managing staffing shortages.
Why Delissio pizzas and other Nestle products will disappear from Canadian stores
Nestle Canada says it is winding down its frozen meals and pizza business in Canada over the next six months. The four brands that will no longer be sold in the freezer aisle at Canadian grocery stores are Delissio, Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine and Life Cuisine.
Six more weeks of winter? Here are the predictions of groundhogs across North America
Will we see six more weeks of winter, or an early spring? Here’s what some of the groundhogs (and one human) have predicted so far, from coast-to-coast.
'Dances With Wolves' actor appears in court in abuse probe
A former 'Dances With Wolves' actor accused of sexually abusing Indigenous girls and leading a cult must remain held without bail until his next court hearing, a judge ordered Thursday morning.
Ukraine's new weapon will force a Russian shift
The United States has answered President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's plea for rockets that can strike deep behind the front lines of the nearly year-long conflict with Russia. Now Russian forces will need to adapt or face potentially catastrophic losses.
Former Wagner commander says he is sorry for fighting in Ukraine
A former commander of Russia's Wagner mercenary group who fled to Norway told Reuters he wanted to apologize for fighting in Ukraine and was speaking out to bring the perpetrators of crimes to justice.
Justice minister says he'll 'look at' federal policy restricting gay men from donating sperm
Justice Minister David Lametti says he will "look at" a federal policy that restricts gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, after CTV News exclusively reported on Wednesday that a gay man is taking the federal government to court over it.