Brisbane Airport helps launch Hydrogen Flight Alliance

Key players in the Australian aviation and green hydrogen industries have today officially launched the Hydrogen Flight Alliance (HFA) at Brisbane Airport.

The aim of the alliance is to ensure Australia plays a leading role in the aviation industry’s transition towards net-zero by 2050.

The initial focus will be on enabling Australia’s first commercial emission free hydrogen powered flight between Brisbane Airport and Gladstone Airport in 2026.

This route will be operated by Skytrans Airlines using a 15 seat Stralis B1900D-HE aircraft, designed and built in Brisbane. The only emissions from the tailpipe of this aircraft will be water vapour.

Both cities already have significant green hydrogen developments underway, making them ideal locations to launch the first hydrogen electric aircraft routes in Australia.

Stralis Aircraft will begin flight testing their hydrogen electric powered 6 seat Beechcraft Bonanza demonstrator aircraft in early 2024. These flights will occur in South East Queensland, allowing the alliance to gain real world experience operating and refueling hydrogen aircraft.

The newly formed alliance brings together leading Australian organisations to develop the hydrogen flight ecosystem required to enable operation of new Australian made emission free aircraft.

Members include Stralis Aircraft, Skytrans Airlines, Brisbane Airport, Gladstone Airport, Aviation Australia and the Central Queensland University.

Brisbane is planning for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games to be a climate positive event and, as a result, the HFA is working to enable the vision of athletes being flown around Queensland during the games on locally built emission free aircraft.

According to HFA, ‘green hydrogen’ has the potential to contribute significantly to the decarbonisation of air travel. However, challenges around the fuel’s availability at scale, future cost and airport supply infrastructure need to be solved.

The conundrum has resulted in the formation of consortiums like the HFA, which bring together the diverse mix of expertise required to make progress in these areas.

Formation of this alliance will establish a clean technology innovation hub in Queensland, generating world class jobs, training programmes and emission free aircraft manufacturing.

Australia, they say, is an ideal location to trial hydrogen flight, due to its abundance of renewable energy and developing green hydrogen industry.

Commercial hydrogen electric aircraft will be designed, tested and certified with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to the same level of safety as conventional aircraft.

Strong government incentives around the globe, such as the Inflation Reduction Act in the USA, are helping countries build strong emission reduction technology industries. Similar incentives are needed for Australia to remain competitive in the race to decarbonise.

Queensland Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen, the Honourable Mick de Brenni MP, said: “Queensland’s green hydrogen industry is the next frontier in a world hungry for renewables and is our greatest climate, jobs, and economic opportunity in a generation.

“Green hydrogen will be a game changer in decarbonising heavy haulage, shipping, manufacturing, and aviation, while also slashing emissions, helping tackle climate change and safeguarding natural tourism wonders for generations to come.

“As the nation’s most decentralised state, this new alliance has an incredible opportunity to put Queensland in the cockpit to pilot the nation’s aviation clean energy revolution.”

Raechel Paris, executive general manager for governance and sustainability at Brisbane Airport Corporation, noted: “Brisbane Airport supports the ambition of a zero emissions aviation future with aircraft that are cleaner, cheaper and quieter to run.

“With Queensland home to the largest number of regional flights in Australia, Brisbane is the perfect testing ground for zero emissions aircraft.”