Airbus UpNext, a wholly owned subsidiary of Airbus, and Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation (Toshiba), the energy arm of Toshiba Group, will partner on superconducting technologies for future hydrogen-powered aircraft.
In the quest to decarbonize the aviation industry, hydrogen-powered aircraft are one of the promising solutions to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Superconducting technologies offer a unique advantage for these aircraft, using liquid hydrogen at -253°C as fuel, but also to efficiently cool the electric propulsion systems. Cryogenic technology can enable nearly unaltered power transmission within the aircraft’s electrical systems, significantly improving their energy efficiency and performance.
The partners intend to tly develop a two-megawatt superconducting engine.
The agreement was signed in Tokyo on the occasion of Japan Aerospace 2024 by Dr. Grzegorz Ombach, Airbus Senior Vice President and Head of Disruptive R&T, and Tsutomu Takeuchi, Toshiba Corporate Director, responsible for the Energy Systems Business and Director of Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation. They were accompanied by Ludovic Ybanez, Head of Cryoprop Demonstrator and Cryogenics Technology, Airbus UpNext, and Kensuke Suzuki, Head of New Technology, Energy Systems Division, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corporation.
Over the past 10 years, Airbus has made efforts to reduce the risk of superconducting technologies. Recently, Airbus UpNext launched Cryoprop, a demonstrator to test a two-megawatt-class superconducting electric propulsion system. Toshiba has been conducting research and development on superconducting technology applications for nearly half a century and launched its own prototype two-megawatt-class superconducting engine for mobility applications in June 2022.
The Airbus Tech Hub Japan was announced in May 2024. The initiative is designed to develop partnerships in the country to advance research, technology and innovation in the aerospace industry and push the boundaries to prepare for the next generation of aircraft. The partnership between Toshiba and Airbus is the first achievement of this ambition in Japan.
Read also
- Eve's eVTOL production will receive R$500 million investment from BNDES
- Atech, a company of the Embraer group, presents a drone blocking system at the COP
- Saab unveils compact mobile sensor capable of detecting drone signals
