Bristol Airport is taking a major step toward zero-carbon aviation with a new liquid hydrogen refuelling project.
Developed in partnership with Ultima Forma and funded through the airport’s Aviation Carbon Transition (ACT) Programme, the scheme aims to support emerging hydrogen-powered aircraft expected to launch regional services in the coming years.
Hannah Pollard, head of sustainability for Bristol Airport, said: "Our region is at the forefront of global efforts to develop zero emissions, hydrogen-powered flight.
"The first regional hydrogen flights are expected in the coming years, and Bristol Airport wants to be an early adopter of this exciting new technology.
"Ultima Forma’s groundbreaking study is a huge step towards us hosting the storage and refuelling facilities that we’ll need in the future."
The project has delivered a first-of-its-kind technical report detailing how a liquid hydrogen (LH₂) refuelling system tailored to the airport could be built and operated.
LH₂-powered aircraft are currently in development in the region by companies including ZeroAvia and Airbus.
A major challenge for hydrogen aviation is the need for specialised fuel storage and refuelling infrastructure at airports.
Liquid hydrogen must be stored at extremely low temperatures of -253°C.
While this technology is well-established in other industries, it has not yet been deployed at scale in an airport environment.
Andy Bushby, chief technology officer at Ultima Forma, said: "developing engineering solutions for the carbon transition is at the heart of Ultima Forma’s technology.
"Working with Bristol Airport has been exciting in exploring how decarbonised aviation could be brought to life."
The ACT programme, launched in 2022, provides annual funding for projects designed to cut emissions from flights and transport at Bristol Airport.
The 2026 round will open in the spring, inviting organisations to apply for grants to help advance zero-carbon aviation.
