Foreword: Challenges are opportunities

Aviation is in a difficult
but exciting time.

As our industry faces growing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, liquid hydrogen (LH₂) has emerged as a compelling alternative fuel – with the potential to transform aerospace sustainability. With its low-carbon combustion and high energy-to-weight ratio, it represents one of the most promising pathways toward more sustainable flight.

This whitepaper provides a comprehensive yet accessible exploration of both the challenges and opportunities associated with LH₂ in aerospace. It offers a clear comparison between LH₂, conventional jet fuel, and other sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs), providing valuable insights into LH₂'s technical feasibility, infrastructure requirements, and long-term viability.

While the transition to hydrogen-powered aviation is complex, it is also an opportunity to be seized – one that requires the combined effort of research startups, major aircraft manufacturers, energy providers and policymakers across the world to make it a reality.

Whether you are an industry expert or new to the topic, this paper will hopefully equip you with the knowledge to understand LH₂’s potential in aerospace – and its role in shaping the future of aviation.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy and learn from this paper, and encourage you to reach out with any questions or suggestions.

Jérémy CURE, Ph.D.
Global coordination for Hydrogen