Carbon-neutral aircraft: Liebherr-Aerospace installs hydrogen test bench in its test center in Toulouse

Developing the decarbonized aircraft of the future is a priority shared throughout the aviation industry. Among the solutions being considered, Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse is working on systems and equipment to reduce fuel consumption and to contribute to more carbon-neutral aircraft. An emblematic project consists of using a hydrogen fuel cell power source to generate sufficient electrical power, in the range of 400 kW, to feed all the non-propulsion systems of next-generation aircraft. Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse is developing this power generation system as part of the France Relance (France Relaunch) plan with the support of the French Civil Aviation Authority (Direction Générale de l’Aviation Civile).

In order to test and assess this solution in a representative environment, Liebherr, supported by the Région Occitanie, recently installed a hydrogen test bench in its test center at its Toulouse site. 

This new investment in test facilities will enable Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse to demonstrate the ability to generate electrical power, using fuel cells, to supply the major non-propulsive electrical systems of a new generation single-aisle aircraft, while ensuring the thermal management of the whole (fuel cells and electrical systems).

In addition to these substantial investments in hydrogen, Liebherr-Aerospace Toulouse is also developing new systems and equipment with lower emissions, particularly of CO2, and is working with the wider aeronautical industry and other academic institutions to step up development of the systems and equipment needed for the next generation of zero-emission aircraft.