Airbus and Kansai Airports have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore the use of hydrogen at three of the Group’s airports in Japan, namely, Kansai International Airport, Osaka International Airport, and Kobe Airport.

Through this partnership, the two companies will jointly prepare a roadmap to address challenges and define an advocacy plan for hydrogen needs. Both parties would lead the study into the development of infrastructure for the use of hydrogen in the aviation sector.

Each partner will leverage their expertise to help define the opportunities that hydrogen can offer to decarbonise the aviation industry. Airbus will provide aircraft characteristics, fleet energy usage, and insight on hydrogen-powered aircraft for ground operations, whilst Kansai Airports will study the infrastructure required at the airports for the introduction of hydrogen-fuelled aircraft.

Airbus is already working in partnership with airports around the world including the MoU with VINCI Airports, to lead the scale-up of hydrogen use in the aviation industry.

This MoU with Kansai Airports is the first one Airbus has signed with an airport operator in Japan and follows the one signed with Kawasaki Heavy Industries in May to work together towards the realisation of hydrogen use in Japan.