As aviation faces mounting pressure to decarbonize without sacrificing long-haul connectivity, green hydrogen is emerging as one of the few fuels capable of fundamentally transforming flight. Produced through renewable-powered electrolysis, green hydrogen enables near-zero-emission aviation at point of use and offers a scalable pathway for deep decarbonization.
Dubai’s solar abundance, infrastructure readiness, and net-zero ambitions position it as a natural hub for this transition, particularly for long-haul aviation where batteries fall short.
Why Green Hydrogen Excels for Aviation
Green hydrogen offers several advantages that make it uniquely suited to aviation:
High gravimetric energy density enables long-haul flight beyond battery limits.
Can be used in fuel cells or adapted combustion engines.
Liquid storage at −253°C allows integration into future aircraft tank designs.
Produces primarily water vapor at point of use, enabling up to 90% lifecycle emission reductions when renewable-powered.
While current costs remain higher than jet fuel, falling electrolyzer and renewable prices are rapidly closing the gap.
Dubai’s Strategic Fit and Initiatives
Dubai’s clean energy ambitions and natural advantages make it a compelling hub for green hydrogen development in aviation. With over 3,000 hours of sunshine annually, the emirate can produce low-cost renewable electricity to power electrolyzers at scale, supporting cost-competitive green hydrogen production.
This aligns closely with the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 , which targets 75% of Dubai’s power from clean sources. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park already supports pilot hydrogen projects initially serving transport and industrial applications, with aviation now emerging as a priority use case.
ENOC’s hydrogen refueling station at Expo City and Dubai Airports’ exploration of hydrogen-ready airside infrastructure reflect early groundwork for hydrogen integration into aviation systems. At the national level, the UAE’s target of producing 700 million litres of sustainable aviation fuel annually by 2030 further reinforces hydrogen’s role through power-to-liquid fuel pathways.
Strategic partnerships — including Masdar’s collaborations with ZeroAvia, Etihad, and Lufthansa — strengthen the UAE’s position in the emerging synthetic fuel supply chain. Together with Dubai International Airport’s carbon-neutral accreditation and planned electric air taxi operations, these initiatives indicate a structured, phased approach toward cleaner aviation.
Real-World Example: ENOC and COBUS Hydrogen Bus at Dubai Airports
A practical demonstration of hydrogen’s aviation potential can be seen in ENOC’s deployment of a hydrogen-powered COBUS airport bus at Dubai Airports.
Supplied from ENOC’s hydrogen station at Expo City, the vehicle has operated in a hybrid hydrogen-electric configuration since 2021, providing zero-emission ground transport between terminals and aircraft.
While the bus is not an aircraft, it replicates many of the operational conditions aviation will face: hydrogen production and supply, safe storage and handling, refueling processes, regulatory compliance, and workforce training. Running these systems in a live airport environment allows stakeholders to test safety protocols, logistics, and reliability before scaling to flight operations.
In this way, the COBUS deployment functions as an operational testbed rather than a symbolic pilot — helping reduce technical and institutional risk ahead of hydrogen or hydrogen-derived fuel use in aviation, in line with broader industry perspectives on hydrogen’s long-term role in decarbonizing flight.(Simplifying.Com)
Technical and Economic Feasibility
Recent studies suggest that the UAE has strong potential for cost-competitive green hydrogen production, driven by abundant solar resources and falling renewable energy prices. In favorable conditions, production costs could reach the range of USD 2–3 per kilogram, compared to USD 6–8 per kilogram in many other regions.
Capital costs are further reduced through renewable energy incentives, free zone investment structures, and infrastructure co-development between government entities and energy companies. These factors improve project bankability and accelerate pilot-to-commercial transitions.
From a technical standpoint, hydrogen can support aviation either through direct combustion in modified engines or conversion into synthetic kerosene via power-to-liquid processes, both of which are under active development and certification globally.
Scenario models suggest that hydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels could supply a meaningful share of aviation energy demand in Gulf hubs by 2040, depending on certification timelines, infrastructure rollout, and airline adoption. (Source:Science Direct)
Path Forward and Challenges
Despite strong potential, several challenges must be addressed before hydrogen can scale in aviation. Certification of hydrogen combustion systems and synthetic fuels remains complex and time-consuming, requiring alignment with international aviation safety and fuel standards.
Infrastructure deployment — including hydrogen pipelines, cryogenic storage, refueling systems, and safety training — will require significant capital investment and coordinated planning across airports, airlines, fuel suppliers, and regulators.
There is also the risk of supply gaps during early adoption phases, when hydrogen production and demand grow at different speeds. For this reason, hybrid strategies combining bio-based SAF and hydrogen-derived fuels are likely to dominate in the near term.
Targeted policy support, long-term offtake agreements, and international collaboration will be essential to reduce investment risk and accelerate deployment.
Spotlight: Energy Evolution Awards & Conference 2026
This transition makes the Energy Evolution Awards & Conference 2026 particularly timely. As the industry shifts from pilots to infrastructure and regulation, the event offers a platform for producers, airlines, investors, and policymakers to shape how hydrogen enters mainstream aviation.
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