Report on activity and sustainable development 2020

ON THE WAY TO CARBON NEUTRALITY

It may not be the only avenue currently being explored, but hydrogen is increasingly seen as the preferred fuel for making the maximum contribution to eventually achieving the goal of low-carbon aviation. The French government’s aviation industry recovery plan unveiled in June 2020 places great emphasis on the need to create a robust hydrogen industry that will lead the way at European level. So in accordance with the commitments made in its Airports for Trust charter, Groupe ADP is preparing now to handle the first
hydrogen-powered short and medium-haul commercial aircraft, expected to be in service by 2035. Delivery this energy transition demands close working relationships with aircraft manufacturers, hydrogen producers, European institutions and European and international airport industry bodies. The challenge for the next few years will be to transform airport platforms into hydrogen platforms, which will involve the large-scale infrastructure developments needed to provide aircraft hydrogen liquefaction, storage and refuelling. There is also work to be done with the relevant authorities to develop and implement an appropriate regulatory framework. It is against this background that, in February 2021, Groupe ADP launched a call for expressions of interest in partnership with the Île-de-France Region, Air France-KLM and Airbus, focusing on three major hydrogen-related challenges: storage, transport and airport distribution of the gas, diversification of its uses and the creation of circular economy for hydrogen.