Could airlines have a zero-emissions airliner by the early 2030s? Totally, they say. As long as everyone involved acts very quickly and gets completely on board with hydrogen technology, that is.

Glenn Llewellyn, the vice president of zero-emissions technology for Airbus, told a panel this week that the aeronautics manufacturer is fully in on hydrogen flight. Its the quickest path, he believes, to turning passenger flight into zero-emissions passenger flight.

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To do that, he recommends a schema that makes sense: pull up a lot of automotive hydrogen technology thats either already fully formed or in the works, and pull down a lot of space hydrogen launch technology, like what already powers the Vulcain 2 liquid fuel engine. The Vulcain lifts the Airbus-designed Ariane launcher into space for the European Space Agency (ESA).

The European Union has recently released a hydrogen strategy to go with its EU Green Deal series of plans. Indeed, hydrogen is broadly hyped as the great green hope that can fill a stopgap for a lot of heavier industries where wind and solar arent suitable yet. But critics have pointed out some big logistical problems with that idea. Problem #1: Where will all this hydrogen come from?

Separating usable hydrogen is very costly, and the most cost efficient way today uses, you guessed it, fossil fuels. Hydrogen itself is a clean energy, but making the hydrogen isntat least not yet. The fossil fuel industry can push hydrogen as its heir apparent and seem virtuous and in touch, but the truth is it will continue to control the supply of fossil fuel-processed hydrogen for at least a while.

One of the most promising technologies to allow us to do that is hydrogen. Why hydrogen? Mainly because we believe we need to position the aviation industry to be powered by renewable energy and hydrogen is a very good surrogate, Llewelyn said in the panel. He emphasized that ramping up development and manufacturing of any hydrogen airliner must also come with an investment in hydrogen supply infrastructure to airports.

And, again, thats where the links to the fossil fuel industry become relevant. Describing hydrogen as the surrogatea word suggesting an analog and one-to-one swapsuggests its both more ready and more appropriate than it may be in reality.

In addition, as Llewelyn suggests, the only way hydrogen will be ready for passenger flight by the early 2030s is by getting a big head start from both automotive and space-travel technology.

The idea of an airliner powered by hydrogen already conjures images of the Hindenburg. Yes, liquid hydrogen is used in spaceflight, but those are the most advanced craft in the world and launched in conditions kept as isolated and pristine as is humanly possiblenot refueling in a hurry during a layover at OHare. A working hydrogen airliner within 15 years may be a reality, but it may also be flame-broiled pie in the sky.

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A Zero-Emissions Airliner Is Possible by the Early 2030sIf This Happens - Popular Mechanics