The conference brought together representatives from European institutions, aviation authorities, airport operators, and EU-funded research projects. Discussions centred on hydrogen’s strategic role in decarbonising aviation, both directly and through its contribution to producing sustainable fuels.
Airports as enablers of transition
Alessandro Fidato, Chief Operating Officer of SEA Milan Airports, noted that many airports have accelerated their climate strategies in recent years, with increasing commitments to Net Zero 2030. Milan airports achieved ACA 4+ certification in 2021, and several European hubs have now reached ACI ACA Level 5. He underlined that airports are not only reducing their own CO₂ emissions but also play a central role as enablers of the aviation industry’s environmental transition.
Hydrogen’s evolving role
Hydrogen remains a medium- and long-term solution, even as Airbus recently delayed its ZEROe hydrogen aircraft programme. According to the Destination 2050 roadmap, hydrogen is expected to contribute significantly to decarbonisation by 2050—particularly via its role in producing eSAF (electro-fuels), which could deliver a 17.5% CO₂ reduction. While SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) is key in the short term, hydrogen continues to be viewed as critical for the sector’s future.
EU research projects and innovation
The event highlighted several EU-funded projects under the Horizon 2020 European Green Deal, including OLGA, TULIPS, and STARGATE. These initiatives focus on SAF deployment, hydrogen integration, digital twin technologies, and energy efficiency. They are working in synergy with Horizon Europe projects such as GOLIAT and ALRIGH2T, to accelerate knowledge transfer and strengthen collaboration across Europe.
Together, these projects represent the cutting edge of research and innovation for greener, more efficient airports and aviation systems.
Looking ahead
Fidato concluded that achieving aviation decarbonisation targets by 2040 remains a major challenge. He called for the hydrogen community to keep a realistic and pragmatic approach, integrating hydrogen into airport master planning, infrastructure investment, and regulatory frameworks.
For the aviation and airport sectors, the conference reinforced hydrogen’s status as a key pillar of long-term sustainability strategies, even amid current delays and uncertainties.
Tags: The 3rd Hydrogen Airport Conference, Milano Malpensa Airport, Alessandro Fidato, SEA Milan Airports
