In partnering with Airbus to help bring the first zero-emission hydrogen aircraft to the skies by 2035, Air Liquide is deepening a historic partnership where the Group both brings and gains expertise.
At Airbus, we believe zero-emission aviation is the future, and the widespread adoption of hydrogen is critical to securing this. As investment increases across countries and sectors, hydrogen will become a competitive and sustainable fuel source. Our ZEROe concept aircraft enable us to explore a variety of configurations and hydrogen technologies that will shape the development of our future zero-emission aircraft. Our goal is entry-into-service by 2035, and for that to become a reality, the development of the necessary hydrogen infrastructure at airports also needs to match our pace.
A more sustainable future for aviation cannot be achieved alone, so we have been reaching out to partners with complementary expertise. Air Liquide is a long-term partner that has a storied reputation for innovating and delivering, and they have the right hydrogen expertise and technologies needed to help Airbus deliver on our ZEROe ambition, both on the ground and on board. Air Liquide also challenges us in a constructive way, which strengthens our ability to bring a winning solution to market. At their core, Airbus and Air Liquide are strategically aligned, and we are both fully committed to building a more sustainable future for aviation.
Air Liquide teams are leveraging their expertise and technologies in hydrogen storage, production and distribution to help us design the on-board aircraft technologies for adapting liquid hydrogen to aviation uses. On the ground, they are also playing a key role in the development of hydrogen hubs at airports, working with key operators like Groupe ADP and VINCI Airports to map out the future of hydrogen airport infrastructure.
Convinced that hydrogen will be one of the drivers of the energy transition, leaders from the energy, transport and industrial sectors decided to join forces in 2017, under the impetus of Air Liquide and Toyota. Their objective: promoting a long-term vision of hydrogen technologies and usages, and stepping up its large-scale deployment. Today, the Hydrogen Council includes over 130 executives from large international firms that participate along the entire hydrogen value chain, as well as investment companies.
Traveling the world to demonstrate the key role of hydrogen in the energy transition is the mission of Energy Observer, the first energy-independent laboratory ship for zero-emission navigation. Air Liquide has been involved in this adventure since 2017, helping raise awareness around energy transition challenges. Energy Observer recently took a new step forward with the design of a cargo ship powered by liquid hydrogen. This initiative is being carried out in collaboration with Air Liquide as part of a partnership reinforced in 2021. The aim is to decarbonize maritime transport, which accounts for 3% of global annual CO2 emissions.
