Aviation sector decarbonization within the hydrogen economy A UAE case study

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential for the UAE's aviation sector to transition to green hydrogen fuel by 2050-2070, analyzing infrastructure, technological, and policy challenges and opportunities.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive strategy and policy framework for integrating green hydrogen into UAE aviation, considering technological, infrastructural, and economic factors.

Findings

Hydrogen could become the primary aviation fuel by 2070.

UAE's solar resources enable cost-competitive hydrogen production.

Decades-long development needed for infrastructure and technology.

Abstract

The UAE aviation sector is vital for its economy and is forecast to grow substantially in the coming decades, increasing thereby fuel consumption. At the same time, the country is committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate climate change. Liquid green hydrogen is expected to emerge as an important aviation fuel in the future. The UAE can use its vast solar energy resources to produce cost-competitive hydrogen at scale, securing so its aviation fuel supply. This development, however, needs several decades to materialize. The PV farms needed to produce the electricity for water electrolysis need yet to be constructed. The infrastructure to produce, liquify, store and transport hydrogen is yet to unfold. Hydrogen-powered aircrafts need to yet evolve from the current small scale demonstration projects to long-haul commercial airplanes. It is realistically by 2050 when hydrogen gains momentum and by 2070 when it becomes the primary aviation fuel. This paper details why and how liquid green hydrogen will find its gap as aviation fuel in the UAE and provides the strategy and policy recommendations to facilitate this development.