Description
Read this whitepaper on Project Acorn – the world’s first hydrogen refuelling trial ever to take place at a major UK airport. The project was led by easyJet and Bristol Airport, with support of many major players across aviation, engineering, manufacturing, logistics and academia, including DHL, Mulag, Jacobs, Fuel Cell Systems, Globe Fuel Cell Systems, Cranfield University, Cranfield Aerospace, TCR, IAAPS and the UK Civil Aviation Authority. The Project Acorn trial demonstrated that hydrogen can be safely handled in a live airside environment and specifically used to refuel and power ground support equipment during the turnaround of an aircraft. This document outlines key steps taken, considerations, challenges and ultimately the progress made through this trial. The data and insight it contains is aimed to assist others for future trials and will also be used to inform the first safety guidance as well as a regulatory framework for hydrogen’s use airside – neither of which currently exist but which will be a critical next step to achieving hydrogen-powered flight.