Exploring Hydrogen-Powered Travel in Houston

A collaboration between the Center for Houston’s Future, Airbus, and Houston Airports is set to revolutionize air travel sustainability in Houston. The trio has signed a memorandum of understanding to explore the possibility of establishing a hydrogen hub at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. This groundbreaking study is expected to conclude in March 2025 and aims to pave the way for hydrogen-powered aircraft, a vision that Airbus hopes to achieve by 2035.

Airbus introduced its ZEROe hydrogen-powered aircraft project in 2020, which aligns with the “Hydrogen Hub at Airports” concept. This initiative brings together key players in airport ecosystems to decarbonize airport infrastructure with hydrogen. The study will encompass various aspects such as airport ground transportation, heating, aviation use, and potentially supplying neighboring industries with hydrogen.

Hydrogen-powered aircraft offer a promising solution to eliminate CO2 emissions in the air and decarbonize air transport on the ground. Houston’s strategic location and status as a major city make it an ideal location for this sustainability study. Jim Szczesniak, the aviation director for the city of Houston, emphasized the importance of building a sustainable airport system to secure a healthy future for Houston, attract top talent, and showcase the city as a responsible global citizen.

The Center for Houston’s Future played a vital role in establishing the HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub, selected by the U.S. Department of Energy as one of seven hydrogen hubs in the nation. This hub, operating in the Houston area and Gulf Coast, stands to receive up to .2 billion in funding under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to advance domestic hydrogen production.

Brett Perlman, the outgoing CEO and president of the Center for Houston’s Future, expressed enthusiasm for the study’s potential impact, underscoring Houston’s energy leadership and commitment to low-carbon innovation. With Houston’s legacy of energy innovation and ambition to lead in the realm of clean hydrogen, the city is poised to become a trailblazer in sustainable aviation for years to come.