Hydrogen Airships Promise Zero Emissions at Quarter the Price of Plane Cargo
They could be "critical in the fight against climate change."
By Chris Young
Dec 15, 2021
H2 Clipper
A California-based startup called H2 Clipper wants to resurrect the hydrogen-filled airship as a form of mass transport. The key difference is that it won't be transporting people, it will be transporting cargo, a press statement reveals.
The company aims to kickstart a green global cargo network by leveraging the world's renewed willingness to try alternative forms of transport following the IPCC's dire climate change report for 2021.
H2 Clipper claims its cargo airships can carry 8-10 times the payload of the best cargo plane over 6,000 miles (9,656 km), and it can do so at a quarter of the price. They will have a payload capacity of approximately 340,000 lb (150,000 kg) sitting in up to 265,000 cubic feet (7,530 cubic meters) of cargo space.
As for speed, the H2 Clipper would travel at a cruising speed of 175 mph (282 km/h), meaning it would move close to ten times faster than a cargo ship — though it would obviously lag behind a cargo plane in that department. The main advantage over today's cargo planes is that the H2 Clipper produces zero carbon emissions.
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Removing the need for large ground infrastructure
H2 Clipper's airships will run on hydrogen gas through a fuel cell with all-electric propulsion systems. As NewAtlas points out, their range of over 6,000 miles (~9,650 km) means that they can connect any two points on the globe with only one refuel stop.
As for transport costs, H2 Clipper says prices will range between $0.177 to $0.247 a ton per mile for distances between 1,000-6,000 miles (~1,610-9,650 km). That's a quarter of the price of aircraft cargo transportation, according to the company. While that is more expensive than cargo shipping, the shipping industry will likely be levied with heavy carbon taxes in the coming years as governments aim to cut down emissions.
H2 Clipper
A California-based startup called H2 Clipper wants to resurrect the hydrogen-filled airship as a form of mass transport. The key difference is that it won't be transporting people, it will be transporting cargo, a press statement reveals.
The company aims to kickstart a green global cargo network by leveraging the world's renewed willingness to try alternative forms of transport following the IPCC's dire climate change report for 2021.
H2 Clipper claims its cargo airships can carry 8-10 times the payload of the best cargo plane over 6,000 miles (9,656 km), and it can do so at a quarter of the price. They will have a payload capacity of approximately 340,000 lb (150,000 kg) sitting in up to 265,000 cubic feet (7,530 cubic meters) of cargo space.
As for speed, the H2 Clipper would travel at a cruising speed of 175 mph (282 km/h), meaning it would move close to ten times faster than a cargo ship — though it would obviously lag behind a cargo plane in that department. The main advantage over today's cargo planes is that the H2 Clipper produces zero carbon emissions.
Recommended videos
Removing the need for large ground infrastructure
H2 Clipper's airships will run on hydrogen gas through a fuel cell with all-electric propulsion systems. As NewAtlas points out, their range of over 6,000 miles (~9,650 km) means that they can connect any two points on the globe with only one refuel stop.
As for transport costs, H2 Clipper says prices will range between $0.177 to $0.247 a ton per mile for distances between 1,000-6,000 miles (~1,610-9,650 km). That's a quarter of the price of aircraft cargo transportation, according to the company. While that is more expensive than cargo shipping, the shipping industry will likely be levied with heavy carbon taxes in the coming years as governments aim to cut down emissions.
H2 Clipper's concept hydrogen airships have a range of over 6,000 miles.
Source: H2 Clipper
H2 Clipper's airships may also be able to cut out a certain portion of the logistics required for shipping and aircraft due to its vertical take off and landing (VTOL) configuration. Earlier this year, a Russian firm called Aerosmena also revealed plans to develop large cargo airships that would remove the requirement for large ground infrastructure. The real question may be, can firms like H2 Clipper and Aerosmena change the perception of hydrogen airships fueled by the Hindenburg disaster and earn flight certification in the coming years. According to H2 Clipper at least, its form of "100 percent emissions-free delivery of goods" will be "critical in the fight against climate change."
H2 Clipper's airships may also be able to cut out a certain portion of the logistics required for shipping and aircraft due to its vertical take off and landing (VTOL) configuration. Earlier this year, a Russian firm called Aerosmena also revealed plans to develop large cargo airships that would remove the requirement for large ground infrastructure. The real question may be, can firms like H2 Clipper and Aerosmena change the perception of hydrogen airships fueled by the Hindenburg disaster and earn flight certification in the coming years. According to H2 Clipper at least, its form of "100 percent emissions-free delivery of goods" will be "critical in the fight against climate change."
Almost 85 years on from the Hindenburg disaster and the future of hydrogen is… airships?
Start-up claims the cheapest and cleanest way to transport H2 over long distances will be hydrogen-powered zeppelins
A rendering of the H2 Clipper airship. Photo: H2 Clipper
The dramatic explosion of the Hindenburg hydrogen airship in New Jersey in 1937 may have tainted public opinion about the safety of H2 for decades, but that has not prevented a US start-up from forging ahead with plans for a new generation of hydrogen-powered zeppelins.
Hydrogen: hype, hope and the hard truths around its role in the energy transition
Will hydrogen be the skeleton key to unlock a carbon-neutral world? Subscribe to Accelerate Hydrogen, powered by Recharge and Upstream, and get the market insight you need for this rapidly evolving global market.
California-based H2 Clipper has been selected for inclusion in French software developer Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE Lab accelerator programme, which the start-up says will “advance its mission of developing and commercializing a global fleet of 100% green airships that transform the hydrogen and air transport industry”.
Unlike the ill-fated Hindenburg, the H2 Clipper airship will not transport passengers, but only pure hydrogen. So H2 will be the fuel, the lifting gas and the cargo.
“H2 Clipper’s 21st-century airship is designed for transporting pure hydrogen from where it is least costly to produce to markets where clean energy is most needed, and for enabling a 100% carbon-free method of transporting freight and other cargo 7-10 times faster than by ship, truck, or rail, and at a 70% savings over traditional air transport,” the company said in a statement.
“As more hydrogen projects are announced globally, there’s a growing appreciation among leading analysts that one of the biggest challenges will be how to efficiently transport, distribute, and store hydrogen.”
H2 Clipper aims to build a prototype in 2024 and a full-sized version in 2027, which would use fuel cells and electric engines to travel at speeds of more than 175 miles per hour (280km/h), travelling distances of 6,000-plus miles (9,656+ km) in a single non-stop journey while transporting up to 150 tonnes of hydrogen.
Dassault says companies including H2 Clipper were selected for its accelerator programme by “demonstrating significant technological breakthroughs with the greatest potential to positively impact and transform society in alignment with one or more [UN] Sustainable Development Goals”.
“The aerospace and aviation revolution is being driven by breakthroughs in the use of renewable fuels such as hydrogen, as well as advanced material science and engineering,” said Frédéric Vacher, head of innovation at Dassault Systèmes. “We are pleased to support H2 Clipper to accelerate maturing these disruptive technologies to serve humankind.”
Start-up claims the cheapest and cleanest way to transport H2 over long distances will be hydrogen-powered zeppelins
A rendering of the H2 Clipper airship. Photo: H2 Clipper
The dramatic explosion of the Hindenburg hydrogen airship in New Jersey in 1937 may have tainted public opinion about the safety of H2 for decades, but that has not prevented a US start-up from forging ahead with plans for a new generation of hydrogen-powered zeppelins.
Hydrogen: hype, hope and the hard truths around its role in the energy transition
Will hydrogen be the skeleton key to unlock a carbon-neutral world? Subscribe to Accelerate Hydrogen, powered by Recharge and Upstream, and get the market insight you need for this rapidly evolving global market.
California-based H2 Clipper has been selected for inclusion in French software developer Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE Lab accelerator programme, which the start-up says will “advance its mission of developing and commercializing a global fleet of 100% green airships that transform the hydrogen and air transport industry”.
Unlike the ill-fated Hindenburg, the H2 Clipper airship will not transport passengers, but only pure hydrogen. So H2 will be the fuel, the lifting gas and the cargo.
“H2 Clipper’s 21st-century airship is designed for transporting pure hydrogen from where it is least costly to produce to markets where clean energy is most needed, and for enabling a 100% carbon-free method of transporting freight and other cargo 7-10 times faster than by ship, truck, or rail, and at a 70% savings over traditional air transport,” the company said in a statement.
“As more hydrogen projects are announced globally, there’s a growing appreciation among leading analysts that one of the biggest challenges will be how to efficiently transport, distribute, and store hydrogen.”
H2 Clipper aims to build a prototype in 2024 and a full-sized version in 2027, which would use fuel cells and electric engines to travel at speeds of more than 175 miles per hour (280km/h), travelling distances of 6,000-plus miles (9,656+ km) in a single non-stop journey while transporting up to 150 tonnes of hydrogen.
Dassault says companies including H2 Clipper were selected for its accelerator programme by “demonstrating significant technological breakthroughs with the greatest potential to positively impact and transform society in alignment with one or more [UN] Sustainable Development Goals”.
“The aerospace and aviation revolution is being driven by breakthroughs in the use of renewable fuels such as hydrogen, as well as advanced material science and engineering,” said Frédéric Vacher, head of innovation at Dassault Systèmes. “We are pleased to support H2 Clipper to accelerate maturing these disruptive technologies to serve humankind.”
By Loz Blain
December 14, 2021
Is it time to resurrect hydrogen airships – not to carry passengers, but as fast, cheap and convenient cargo carriers?
H2 Clipper
California startup H2 Clipper wants to bring back hydrogen-filled airships, claiming they can unlock completely green intercontinental cargo operations carrying 8-10 times the payload of any cargo plane over 6,000 miles, at a quarter of the price.
The H2 Clipper would carry payloads up to and beyond 340,000 lb (150,000 kg), says the company, and would offer up to 265,000 cubic feet (7,530 cubic metres) of cargo space. It wouldn't travel as fast as a plane, cruising at about 175 mph (282 km/h), but it would move boxes some 7-10 times faster than a boat (China to the US in 36 hours, for example) and with zero emissions.
Its lift gas would be hydrogen – providing some 8 percent more lift per volume than helium at something around 1/67th the price. Its propulsion would be fully electric, running on liquid hydrogen put through a fuel cell. H2 Clipper says it'd operate efficiently for missions ranging from under 500 miles (804 km) to "well over 6,000 miles (9,656 km)." That would link any two points on the globe with a single fuel top-up. In the current renders, the company shows the top of this huge aircraft covered in photovoltaic cells, which could theoretically enable it to generate its own hydrogen, if it were to carry a water source and an electrolyzer.
With the right provisions put in place, it could take goods right from a factory to a distribution center without needing additional ground transport stages to and from airports, thanks to its vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.
Hydrogen's taking off as a clean aviation fuel. Will it return for use as a lift gas?
H2 Clipper
H2 Clipper says the economics will be attractive as well, estimating costs between US$0.177 to $0.247 per ton-mile for distances between 1,000-6000 miles. It says this is a quarter of the price of today's air transport. Certainly, it'll still be more expensive than sending things on a container ship, but it does potentially cut out additional logistics challenges at either end – and the shipping sector's emissions issues could well see it slapped with carbon taxes as the race to zero carbon by 2050 develops globally.
On the surface, it all looks to work pretty neatly. Of course, there's a large elephant in the room here, or at least a huge manatee: hydrogen, along with any other flammable substance, is currently prohibited as a lift gas in the United States and Europe, due to some high-profile dirigible disasters in the early 1900s, burned into the public consciousness by newsreels of the Hindenburg conflagration in 1937 that killed 35 of the 97 people on board.
But it's possible that all is not as it seems in this regard – and indeed there are several groups beginning to call foul on what they see is an unfair perception and legal treatment of hydrogen airships that could be holding back a valuable technology.
Is it time to resurrect hydrogen airships – not to carry passengers, but as fast, cheap and convenient cargo carriers?
H2 Clipper
California startup H2 Clipper wants to bring back hydrogen-filled airships, claiming they can unlock completely green intercontinental cargo operations carrying 8-10 times the payload of any cargo plane over 6,000 miles, at a quarter of the price.
The H2 Clipper would carry payloads up to and beyond 340,000 lb (150,000 kg), says the company, and would offer up to 265,000 cubic feet (7,530 cubic metres) of cargo space. It wouldn't travel as fast as a plane, cruising at about 175 mph (282 km/h), but it would move boxes some 7-10 times faster than a boat (China to the US in 36 hours, for example) and with zero emissions.
Its lift gas would be hydrogen – providing some 8 percent more lift per volume than helium at something around 1/67th the price. Its propulsion would be fully electric, running on liquid hydrogen put through a fuel cell. H2 Clipper says it'd operate efficiently for missions ranging from under 500 miles (804 km) to "well over 6,000 miles (9,656 km)." That would link any two points on the globe with a single fuel top-up. In the current renders, the company shows the top of this huge aircraft covered in photovoltaic cells, which could theoretically enable it to generate its own hydrogen, if it were to carry a water source and an electrolyzer.
With the right provisions put in place, it could take goods right from a factory to a distribution center without needing additional ground transport stages to and from airports, thanks to its vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.
Hydrogen's taking off as a clean aviation fuel. Will it return for use as a lift gas?
H2 Clipper
H2 Clipper says the economics will be attractive as well, estimating costs between US$0.177 to $0.247 per ton-mile for distances between 1,000-6000 miles. It says this is a quarter of the price of today's air transport. Certainly, it'll still be more expensive than sending things on a container ship, but it does potentially cut out additional logistics challenges at either end – and the shipping sector's emissions issues could well see it slapped with carbon taxes as the race to zero carbon by 2050 develops globally.
On the surface, it all looks to work pretty neatly. Of course, there's a large elephant in the room here, or at least a huge manatee: hydrogen, along with any other flammable substance, is currently prohibited as a lift gas in the United States and Europe, due to some high-profile dirigible disasters in the early 1900s, burned into the public consciousness by newsreels of the Hindenburg conflagration in 1937 that killed 35 of the 97 people on board.
But it's possible that all is not as it seems in this regard – and indeed there are several groups beginning to call foul on what they see is an unfair perception and legal treatment of hydrogen airships that could be holding back a valuable technology.
The H2Clipper would cruise at about 10,000 feet, lifted and propelled by green hydrogen
H2 Clipper
The argument is well put in this recent piece by Eli Dourado, Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University. We'll bullet-point it here for you:
Hydrogen was initially banned as a lift gas in US military aircraft in 1922, after a rather theatrical exploding-balloon demonstration before Congress by a representative from the Bureau of Mines, which had found itself sitting on large helium reserves. In his 1969 book about the early days of the helium industry, Mines employee Clifford Stebel admits that the hydrogen should not have exploded in this scenario, and hints that he tampered with it: "Later, with a twinkle in his eye, Moore accused me of adding some air to the red balloon to create an explosive mixture—something I never admitted."
The aviation business as a whole was in an embryonic phase in the early 1900s, and most modes of flight had less-than-stellar safety records, which have subsequently been addressed with rigorous standards and new technologies. Hydrogen airships should be afforded the same opportunity.
Banning flammable substances from use generating aerostatic lift, but allowing them for use generating forward thrust, is absurd. Flammable fuel leaks have caused numerous aviation disasters without these substances being banned wholesale.
The current FAA prohibition on hydrogen lift gas is only a guidance, and nearly every aircraft that goes through certification does so after negotiating a series of waivers and special conditions.
The full piece makes interesting reading. H2 Clipper, for its part, chips in to point out that extensive testing in the automotive industry has proven that hydrogen tanks can be shot with 50-caliber rifles, and hydrogen escaping into the air can be ignited with naked flames without causing explosions.
"With modern engineering standards," writes Dourado, "there is no doubt that hydrogen could be made a safe lifting gas." But, he points out, the only way to find out for sure would be to develop and certify a next-generation hydrogen airship, and this would require millions in investment, against the possible risk that the program might be shut down by regulations.
Range figures of 6,000 miles and beyond would deliver reasonably quick intercontinental shipping with zero emissions
H2 Clipper
It's a tough ask for investors, although a new class of investor might have the stomach to throw down. Green hydrogen projects are taking off at an extraordinary rate as countries and companies alike wrestle with the hurdles and opportunities of decarbonization. The investors behind these have plenty of skin in the game already, and an incentive not just to develop potential markets for their hydrogen, but to rehabilitate its image.
H2 Clipper's hydrogen cargo airships might be just the ticket. They present minimal risk to human life – they'll initially be piloted, but could eventually become completely autonomous. They present a useful middle ground in the transport logistics puzzle – cheaper than planes, faster than ships, virtually unlimited range and excellent operational flexibility. And there's currently no alternative if you want to cover serious distances without creating carbon dioxide emissions.
These airships could be immediately useful to the hydrogen industry, too; H2 Clipper says that if you're looking to export liquid hydrogen internationally, as many countries are hoping to do in bulk, its airships will beat rail, trucks, ships and even pipelines on price over distances greater than 1,000 miles – while delivering the H2 quickly to just about anywhere on Earth.
H2 Clipper Founder and CEO Rinaldo Brutoco presented at the 2nd International Hydrogen in Aviation Conference, held in Glasgow this September, saying that the company would commence drawings for a sub-scale prototype in 2022, hoping to fly it in 2024. Stretch goals include getting a dirigible into operation by 2026, and having 100 of them out there hauling cargo by the early 2030s.
It's a fascinating idea with some obvious hurdles to overcome. We'll be keeping an eye on the company's progress!
Source: H2 Clipper
Could Zeppelins Be The Answer To Hydrogen Transportation?
by Linnea Ahlgren
December 15, 2021
One of the main challenges for the future of hydrogen as a fuel source for air travel is infrastructure. Be that for hydrogen-electric or propulsion architecture relying on liquid H2, the puzzle of transporting the gas safely to airports to fuel aircraft (another matter) needs to be solved. One company believes it is on the way – with a good old-fashioned dirigible. However, the inventors of the H2 Clipper say it is nothing like the airships of old.
Will hydrogen-powered airships be the solution to hydrogen transportation?
Photo: H2 Clipper
Linking production and application
The H2 Clipper is an airship designed to transport pure hydrogen from where it is cheapest to produce to markets where it is needed to support green power projects. The dirigible itself will also be powered by green hydrogen to offer a carbon-free form of transportation and produce zero CO2 emissions.
The company behind the airship says that it will enable shipments of hydrogen and other cargo that will be seven to ten times faster than other modes of transport at a price that will be 70% lower than that of conventional airfreight.
It also attests that the H2 Clipper is uniquely suited to addressing the needs of an emerging hydrogen economy, providing a cost-efficient and dynamically scaleable approach to transporting the gas as demand grows over the following decades. It has trademarked it the ‘Pipeline in the Sky’.
“…(It) is able to scale up through making additional daily trips until the recurring volume of hydrogen being transported justifies investing in the fixed cost of a pipeline or establishing a dedicated supertanker route, at which time the H2 Clipper can simply shift its services to another emerging production site and/or destination,” the people behind the ’21st-century airship’ say.
The H2 Clipper will travel much faster than older airships.
Photo: Getty Images
In the sky by 2027 with the help of Dassault
The H2 Clipper will use hydrogen fuel cells coupled with electric engines to enable it to fly distances of over 6,000 miles at a speed of 175 miles per hour. It will have a lift capacity of 150 metric tons and a cargo area of 7,500 cubic meters. A detailed design and a prototype are scheduled for 2024. The target for having a fully-fledged airship in the sky has been set for 2027.
To support it in this endeavor, the H2 Clipper company has been selected for inclusion in the Dassault Systémes 3DExperience Lab innovation program. The program focuses on companies that envision a better and more sustainable way of life in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Projects include whale-safe fishing, detecting neurological pathologies through brain-wave devices, geoponic farming, and mobile charging devices for electric vehicles.
“The aerospace and aviation revolution is being driven by breakthroughs in the use of renewable fuels such as hydrogen, as well as advanced material science and engineering. We are pleased to support H2 Clipper to accelerate maturing these disruptive technologies to serve humankind,” said Frédéric Vacher, Head of Innovation at Dassault Systèmes.
Hydrogen-powered zeppelins have to contend with one of the most potent negative public images in history. Photo: Getty Images
The public image legacy to overcome
Of course, airships and hydrogen have history. Say ‘zeppelin,’ and most people’s minds immediately conjure up images of the Hindenburg spectacularly going down in a sea of flames. The 1937 disaster essentially marked an end to the hydrogen-powered passenger-transporting dirigible era. Its powerful imagery aftermath will be a major obstacle to overcome in convincing the public that flying on hydrogen is safe. Perhaps a few years of high-speed zeppelins moving to and fro will contribute to shifting the general perception.
Linnea Ahlgren
Lead Sustainability Journalist - With a Masters in International Relations, Linnea has combined her love for current affairs with her passion for travel to become a key member of the Simple Flying team. With eight years’ experience in publishing and citations in publications such as CNN, Linnea brings a deep understanding of politics and future aviation tech to her stories. Based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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