Rolls-Royce to test hydrogen fueled private jet engine

As the aviation industry looks towards more sustainable fuels, engine maker Rolls-Royce has revealed that it intends to start a proof of concept program running aircraft engines on hydrogen. Later this year, an AE2100 will be tested on hydrogen, with the manufacturer ultimately aiming to run a Pearl 15 private jet engine on the clean fuel.

While it still seems a long way off, aviation companies are increasingly looking toward hydrogen as a future fuel. Many OEMs are now pursuing hydrogen test programs. The most notable of these is Airbus, which intends to test hydrogen engines on the side of an A380.

Rolls-Royce isn’t yet ready to commit to hydrogen as a future fuel, though it is keen to start exploring its options. As such, it is planning to operate a couple of existing products with the fuel over the coming years, though all testing will be confined to the ground for the time being. The first tests will take place as soon as later this year.

One of the first tests Rolls-Royce is planning will be to run an AE2100 engine on hydrogen. This is an engine used to power a range of aircraft, including the Lockheed C130 Hercules. The initial testing will take place in the UK.

With a slightly longer timeline, Rolls-Royce intends to run a Pearl 15 engine on hydrogen. This engine powers the Bombardier Global 5500 and Global 6500 private jets. The Pearl 15 test will take place on the ground in Stennis, Mississippi, although the company is not yet prepared to commit to an exact timeline.

Eventually, the company aims to run a Pearl 15 engine with the green fuel.