The Baltic Sea region is set to lay the foundations for the aviation sector’s transition to renewable energy over the next three years. This is the aim of the BSR HyAirport, an international project officially launched by 16 airports, airlines, research institutions and technology companies from Scandinavia, the Baltic States, Poland and Germany, with the involvement of 24 associated organisations.
On the Latvian side, Riga Airport, the Latvian Hydrogen Association, the Latvian University of Life Sciences and Technology and aviation fuel supplier Gulfsteram Oil Ltd are partners, while the associates include national airline airBaltic, Liepāja Airport, the Civil Aviation Agency and the Ministry of Transport, the Riga Airport announced on 29 December.
“BSR HyAirport aims to create the conditions for adapting airport infrastructure to hydrogen-powered aircraft flights over the next three years, preparing airports for the storage, processing and supply of green hydrogen as the future energy source for aviation. The project is being implemented to revitalise regional air traffic and better connect the Baltic Sea regions to aviation hubs in the future, so the partnership also involves a number of smaller airports and regional airlines.
“Investments in innovation and sustainability are an essential part of Riga Airport’s development strategy. The BSR HyAirport project is an important step towards energy transformation in the aviation sector,” explains Laila Odiņa, Chairwoman of the Board of Riga Airport. “Many questions still need to be answered before hydrogen can be used on a regular basis, so we are delighted to be involved in a collaborative project between airports in the Baltic Sea region and other aviation companies to find solutions together for the sustainability of aviation and to reduce the industry’s impact on climate change.”
The European Union supports BSR HyAirport through the Interreg Baltic Sea Region programme, with a total of around €3.8 million distributed among the various partners. The project aims to lay the foundations for the use of hydrogen technology in aviation. Initially well suited as a fuel for short-haul flights, gaseous green hydrogen is particularly suited to the aviation needs of the Baltic Sea region and regular air traffic with regional aircraft of up to about 80 seats could be expected already this decade.
BSR HyAirport has a total budget of €4.8 million. The project will cost Riga Airport around €420 thousand over three years. The project has three work packages – solution development, pilot project implementation and solution/knowledge transfer, with several activities in each package. Riga Airport will be involved in the study and development of the legal framework for the introduction of hydrogen technologies into the work processes of aircraft maintenance and ground handling equipment, the testing of hydrogen-powered aircraft and ground handling equipment, the communication of project results to the project target groups and the development of a sustainability plan for project results.
Photo of Riga Airport
Press release https://is.gd/lNxf7h
