Canadian airports at Montreal-Trudeau, Toronto Pearson, and Vancouver sign agreements with Airbus and ZeroAvia for the establishment of hydrogen hubs at their facilities
Airbus, ZeroAvia, and three major Canadian airports have announced a collaboration aimed at understanding the feasibility of hydrogen infrastructure for commercial aviation. The cooperation will provide insights into hydrogen aircraft concepts, operations, supply, infrastructure, and refueling needs at airports.
According to Airbus President Tamara Vrooman, this collaboration is crucial for identifying changes needed to meet Canada's carbon reduction goals. ZeroAvia's flight testing has demonstrated that hydrogen-powered commercial aviation is possible ahead of 2030, and the company is developing a second engine (ZA2000) for 40-80 seat aircraft.
The partners have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL), Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), and Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to specifically study the feasibility of hydrogen infrastructure development at these locations. This MoU signals a committed step toward assessing how hydrogen can be integrated as a fuel source or infrastructure component at these airports.
The feasibility studies are the first of their kind in Canada for hydrogen in aviation. The current status of these studies is that they are either ongoing or planned imminently with a focus on practical implementation. No detailed results or timeline for the completion of these studies were provided, but the collaboration between these major airports and established aerospace companies marks a significant milestone toward hydrogen aviation infrastructure in Canada.
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) continues various construction and maintenance projects throughout 2025, indicating active airport infrastructure development which may complement future hydrogen infrastructure deployment. Broader Canadian and international efforts show phases of technological maturation and integration for hydrogen in aviation are progressing through to at least 2031, with goals to demonstrate readiness for new hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2035.
Research and policies supporting hydrogen use are emerging in Canadian provinces like Ontario, where hydrogen is seen as potentially significant in future energy sectors, though direct airport-specific hydrogen infrastructure details remain under study. ZeroAvia is working to develop the hydrogen fuel ecosystem to support clean propulsion systems at airports, including unique production, storage, and dispensing technologies.
Airbus has announced agreements with partners and airports in ten countries for the "Hydrogen Hub at Airports" program, but is seeking partners in North America to develop hydrogen visibility and partnership network. Montreal, home of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is a key driver in supporting a global framework.
The development of hydrogen technology for aircraft is underway in a global Research & Technology network, with Airbus aiming to bring the world's first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft by 2035. Commercial flights in Canada are forecast to grow by 51% in the next 20 years, resulting in an additional 39.8 million passenger journeys by 2037. This collaboration between Airbus, ZeroAvia, and Canadian airports is a significant step towards reducing aviation emissions and transitioning to low-emission technologies in Canada.
References: 1. Hydrogen Aviation: A review of the current state and future potential of hydrogen in aviation 2. ZeroAvia 3. Airbus 4. Airports Council International - North America 5. Government of Canada - Hydrogen strategy for Canada
The development in science, particularly hydrogen technology for aircraft, is gaining momentum globally, with Airbus aiming to introduce the world's first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft by 2035. On the finance front, ZeroAvia is working to establish the hydrogen fuel ecosystem, focusing on unique production, storage, and dispensing technologies for airports.
In the realm of technology, Airbus and ZeroAvia have partnered with Canadian airports to study the feasibility of hydrogen infrastructure development, paving the way for hydrogen's integration as a fuel source or infrastructure component. Simultaneously, in sports, commercial flights in Canada are forecast to grow significantly, prompting the need for low-emission technologies like hydrogen aviation to meet carbon reduction goals.
