China’s Aero Engine Corporation recently conducted a successful test flight of an innovative 900-kilowatt hydrogen-powered turbine engine in China’s Hunan province. The flight ended April 4, with the AEP100 engine attached to an SA750U unmanned transport aircraft, which can weigh up to about 16,500 pounds. The engine can produce around 1,200 horsepower and works by introducing liquid hydrogen (LH2) directly into the combustion chamber. The flight lasted about 16 minutes, with the plane climbing to 1,000 feet and reaching a speed of 137 mph. China is known to also be testing sustainable jet fuel production, reinforcing its intentions to lead the adoption of renewable energy in aviation.
The test shed new light on sustainable alternatives to aviation fuels in the face of the worsening global oil crisis. The oil crisis, mainly caused by the war in Iran, has increased fuel prices globally, which has had a significant economic impact in most countries. Hydrogen-powered engines are one of the aerospace industry’s most promising initiatives to provide a clean energy alternative to current jet engines. Major aircraft manufacturers like Airbus have set ambitious targets to introduce hydrogen-powered aircraft into their existing fleet. The technology is still in the development phase and will require global collaboration to establish the infrastructure necessary for adoption of the concept. Thanks to ongoing efforts in Europe and China, this technology could be important in the future once the infrastructure can be put in place to support its use.
Overcoming Hydrogen Fuel Challenges
The aerospace industry focuses on two main applications of hydrogen-based aeronautical propulsion, namely turbine engines powered by LH2 and electric motors powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Airbus confirmed in 2025 that it would focus its efforts on hydrogen fuel cells, while other initiatives like this example in China focus on adapting current turbomachinery designs. While both schools of thought have merit, they both face the primary challenge of storing hydrogen on board aircraft.
Cryogenic LH2 must be stored at minus 423 degrees Fahrenheit, and storage tanks tend to be large and heavy, which isn’t exactly suitable for aircraft requiring lightweight fuel storage mechanisms. Due to the weight associated with LH2 storage, the industry must find ways to adopt advanced composite dewar tanks for this purpose. The technology is being developed by NASA specifically for this purpose, in addition to its uses on rockets, and could potentially alleviate the downsides of LH2 storage.
Aside from storage challenges, the only way to make hydrogen fuel viable for commercial airliners is to drive global adoption of the technology. Large airports will need to establish a hydrogen supply by building storage tank infrastructure and establishing new commercial supply chain partnerships to obtain hydrogen at scale. Governments around the world will also need to launch initiatives to reduce the cost of hydrogen to make it commercially viable for airlines, and to develop more sustainable methods of manufacturing hydrogen.
How hydrogen fuel can stabilize the aviation sector
The global oil crisis has caused commercial airline ticket prices to increase by up to 22% in 2026 compared to the same period last year. Jet fuel accounts for approximately 20 to 40 percent of operating expenses for airlines worldwide, and fluctuations in fuel prices are typically passed on to consumers. If hydrogen fueled engines could be used in place of kerosene fueled engines, the cost volatility we see today could be completely avoided.
As hydrogen technology continues to develop, the aviation sector could adopt a hybrid approach to the fuel. Currently, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is already in limited use by airlines around the world. SAF is made from materials such as sustainably sourced cooking oil or biomass waste. Regulations require that SAF can be blended up to 50% with jet fuel and can be used on existing airliners without modifications. As the industry moves towards hydrogen fuel adoption, a blended approach using SAF will most likely be adopted in the near term.
