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Defence Industry and Space
News article14 November 2022

Aviation: First General Assembly of the Alliance for Zero-Emission Aviation mobilises entire aeronautic ecosystem for hydrogen and electric aviation

AZEA General Assembly - General

Preparing the aviation ecosystem for the entry into service of hydrogen and electric aircraft is the goal of the Alliance for Zero-Emission Aviation (AZEA). Spearheaded by the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DEFIS) of the European Commission, the Alliance brings together aviation representatives to develop solutions for the challenges of zero-emission flight.

Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton today delivered the keynote address at the first General Assembly of the Alliance for Zero-Emission Aviation (AZEA) in order to inaugurate the works of the industrial alliance. More than one hundred participants from 90 organisations and companies from the aeronautics industry attended this first General Assembly, hosted by Eurocontrol. 

Commissioner Thierry Breton said: “There has never been a more compelling case for hydrogen-powered and electric aircraft. Our engineers are closer than ever before to realising the objective of zero-emission flight, and the growing number of start-ups in this domain bears witness to the dynamism of the aeronautic industry. This process will only work if the entire industrial ecosystem is involved – this is where the Alliance comes in. It will help address all the enabling conditions for zero emission aircraft to take off: innovation, investment, infrastructure, regulation.”

Rewatch the keynote address of Commissioner Breton

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The welcoming keynote was followed by a lively roundtable discussion which saw the Commissioner exchange views on how zero-emission aircraft can be successful, with: Glenn Llewellyn of Airbus, Meiltje De Groot of Groningen Airport, Jérémy Caussade of AURA AERO, and Jo Dardenne of Transport & Environment.

Re-watch the opening session of the General Assembly here

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During the Assembly, the Commission put forward several topics to be developed in working groups, including airport infrastructure, energy requirements of hydrogen and electric aircraft, certification, standardisation, regulatory needs, operational and environmental considerations.

The Alliance continues to be open for any interested stakeholder who wishes to become a member, including Member States as they play a key role in this area. Interested parties can join by signing the Declaration of the Alliance and filling in the application form, provided they meet the eligibility criteria set out in the terms of reference.

Background

On 24 June, Thierry Breton (Commissioner for Internal Market) officially launched the Alliance for Zero Emission Aviation (AZEA), calling on the members of the aviation community to join forces in preparing for the advent of zero-emission aircraft. AZEA gathers representatives from aircraft manufacturers, airlines, airports, energy companies and fuel providers, standardisation and certification agencies, passenger and environmental interest groups and regulators.

More information on the Alliance on the dedicated website here.

Details

Publication date
14 November 2022