ATLANTA - Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Airbus, Delta Air Lines and Plug Power have joined forces to assess the feasibility of hydrogen fueling at the world's busiest airport in support of advancing a more sustainable future for travel.
The study will help define the infrastructure, operational viability, and safety and security requirements needed to implement hydrogen as a fuel source for future aircraft operations at ATL. It will also contribute to the understanding of supply and infrastructure requirements for hydrogen hubs at airports worldwide.
The use of hydrogen to power future aircraft models could ultimately eliminate aircraft carbon dioxide emissions while also decarbonizing air transport activities on the ground - a top priority for all of the partners as they work toward the decarbonization of the aviation industry.
While the Atlanta-based study preliminarily launched earlier this year, it is one of three that Airbus announced with partners on May 21. The study in Atlanta is scheduled for completion at the end of 2026.
'Hartsfield-Jackson has long been a leader in the commercial aviation industry, and it only makes sense that we help lead this effort,' said ATL Senior Deputy General Manager Michael Smith. 'If hydrogen proves to be a viable alternative, ATL will investigate options to update infrastructure in order to implement the new technology. We are thrilled to participate in this study and look forward to the results.'
As part of the study, ATL is providing its current layout and organization plan and will share updates on future developments.
Airbus launched the Hydrogen Hub at Airports program to jumpstart research into infrastructure requirements and low-carbon airport operations across the entire value chain. To date, agreements have been signed with partners and airports in 13 countries including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the U.S.
'The U.S. has easy and massive access to additional renewable energies to produce green hydrogen, and airports are looking for a diverse and balanced energy mix to be more resilient and help reduce the impact of aviation on the environment. Hydrogen is a key enabler for this,' said Karine Guenan, Airbus' Vice President ZEROe Ecosystem. 'The journey to prepare airport infrastructure to support hydrogen and low carbon aviation begins on the ground with pre-feasibility studies like this one, working with pioneer players like Delta, Plug and the world's busiest airport.'
Delta is the largest airline operating at the world's busiest airport, and offers one of the largest commercial airline schedules globally. It has been a long-standing core partner in the Airbus ZEROe program since 2022, when it signed on to provide expertise to identify fleet and network expectations, and the operational and infrastructure requirements needed to develop commercial aircraft powered by hydrogen fuel. Delta's Chief Sustainability Officer Amelia Deluca said this study is part of Delta's ongoing commitment and that no one company can solve the industry's sustainability challenges alone.
'All aviation stakeholders need to explore new paths in every direction today for the industry to achieve a more sustainable future of travel by 2050,' she said. 'While we work to scale sustainable aviation fuel to power today's aircraft, hydrogen is a key element to unlocking the decarbonized future of flight and the next generation of aviation. That's why we are on this journey to help map the industry's hydrogen blueprints with partners who share our passion for connecting the world.'
Plug Power is a leading provider of equipment and end-to-end, turnkey solutions for the global green hydrogen economy. The company is building an end-to-end green hydrogen ecosystem including the manufacture of electrolyzers, fuel cells and hydrogen facilities across the United States to decarbonize a variety of industrial, transportation and energy needs and applications worldwide.
'The potential to decarbonize aviation with green hydrogen is substantial,' noted Plug CEO Andy Marsh. 'We are pleased to contribute our expertise in hydrogen infrastructure and applications development to this pioneering effort at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. We have a ready-made supply of green hydrogen to support the airport from our new Woodbine, Georgia, production plant, the largest green hydrogen plant in the U.S.'
About Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
ATL is the first airport in history to serve more than 100 million passengers in one year and continues to top passenger totals worldwide. The Airport boasts an annual direct economic impact of $66 billion in the state. A frequent recipient of awards of excellence, ATL is recognized for its leadership in concessions, operations, sustainability, architectural engineering and construction. For more information, visit www.atl.com.
About Airbus
Airbus pioneers sustainable aerospace for a safe and united world. The company constantly innovates to provide efficient and technologically-advanced solutions in aerospace, defense, and connected services. In commercial aircraft, Airbus designs and manufactures modern and fuel-efficient airliners and associated services. Airbus is also a European leader in space systems, defense and security. In helicopters, Airbus provides efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions and services worldwide. The company constantly innovates to provide efficient and technologically-advanced solutions in aerospace. Airbus is currently developing the first hydrogen-powered commercial aircraft with the ambition to enter into service in 2035 and promoting the Hydrogen Hubs at Airports concept.
About Delta Air Lines
Delta's 100,000 people lead the way in delivering a world-class customer experience on over 4,000 daily flights to more than 280 destinations on six continents, connecting people to places and to each other. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta operates significant hubs and key markets in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Bogota, Boston, Detroit, Lima, London-Heathrow, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Santiago (Chile), Sao Paulo, Seattle, Seoul-Incheon and Tokyo.
As the leading global airline, Delta's mission to connect the world creates opportunities, fosters understanding and expands horizons by connecting people and communities to each other and to their own potential. We believe social responsibility lies at the intersection of our values and expertise, guiding our work in sustainability, our communities, and diversity, equity and inclusion, including working toward a more sustainable, elevated future of travel with a clear, metrics-based strategy by building coalitions, leveraging existing solutions and technologies, investing in the future of sustainable aviation fuel and actively inspiring next-generation solutions. More at news.delta.com.
About Plug Power
Plug is building an end-to-end green hydrogen ecosystem, from production, storage, and delivery to energy generation, to help its customers meet their business goals and decarbonize the economy. In creating the first commercially viable market for hydrogen fuel cell technology, the company has deployed more than 69,000 fuel cell systems and over 250 fueling stations, more than anyone else in the world, and is the largest buyer of liquid hydrogen.
With plans to operate a green hydrogen highway across North America and Europe, Plug built a state-of-the-art Gigafactory to produce electrolyzers and fuel cells and is developing multiple green hydrogen production plants targeting commercial operation by year-end 2028. Plug delivers its green hydrogen solutions directly to its customers and through joint venture partners into multiple environments, including material handling, e-mobility, power generation, and industrial applications.
For more information, visit www.plugpower.com.
DELTA AIR LINES, INC. 
