Auf einen Blick
- The successful integration of liquid hydrogen as a fuel will be the key driver for decarbonizing short- and medium-haul flights.
- Hamburg Airport alone plans to power around 60–80% of its aircraft with hydrogen by 2050, which corresponds to a hydrogen demand of approximately 60,000 tons.
- Building production capacity for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF): ReFuelEU Aviation calls for the gradual integration of SAF into the market.
- By 2025, 2% of the European fuel mix is expected to be based on SAF, rising to 6% by 2030. A 70% share is projected for 2050.
The Future of Aviation: Sustainable, Innovative, and Climate-Neutral
Aviation accounts for about 2–3% of global CO₂ emissions, but its indirect climate impacts are even greater. With the global growth of air traffic and rising demands for sustainable mobility, one thing is clear: decarbonization is a necessity. It is crucial for achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement and securing a livable future for coming generations.
The potential is enormous: the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier, the development of electric and hybrid propulsion systems, and the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) could significantly reduce emissions. But technological innovations alone are not enough. A comprehensive rethinking across the entire value chain—from production and infrastructure to political regulation—is required.
Hamburg as a Hub for Sustainable Aviation Innovation
With Airbus and Lufthansa Technik, Hamburg stands out as one of the world’s leading aviation hubs. To this end, the City of Hamburg has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking to accelerate the demonstration of low-emission aircraft technologies and concepts, which are to be introduced into flight operations by 2035. Between 2024 and 2027, the City of Hamburg will mobilize up to 128 million euros in investments to support projects at the regional level, thereby contributing to the Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) and the program objectives of Clean Aviation. Furthermore, through its climate strategy “Net Zero 2035 – Now. For the Future," become the first major airport in Germany to operate in a climate-neutral manner by 2035, thereby underscoring its pioneering role in climate protection.
Förderung
At the federal level, there are currently two main funding guidelines that support efforts to decarbonize aviation. The Aviation Research Program (LuFo Klima) and the Ground Power Guideline of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). LuFo Klima supports research projects in the field of decarbonization, while the Ground Power Guideline focuses on promoting climate-neutral power supply for aircraft at airports.
