Could hydrogen play a role in the defossilization of airport ground vehicles?

Airports are significant consumers of energy, primarily due to the extensive use of fuels for both aircraft and ground vehicles, such as ground support equipment. Increased efforts are being made to defossilize the aviation sector by replacing fossil fuels with sustainable alternatives. Among these, hydrogen presents a promising option. For aircraft, hydrogen could be utilized in its liquid form due to its higher energy density, which is essential for effective storage and use in aviation applications. However, a notable challenge with liquid hydrogen is the inevitable boil-off that occurs during storage and distribution. This boil-off results in gaseous hydrogen, which, rather than being wasted, could be repurposed to power ground vehicles at airports. This approach offers a viable alternative to the electrification of ground support equipment, contributing to the overall defossilization strategy of the aviation sector. This paper examines the feasibility of this scenario by evaluating the potential for replacing the conventional fuels used by ground vehicles with the gaseous hydrogen boiled off from liquid hydrogen storage. The analysis is conducted within the context of a small airport, providing insights into the practical implications and benefits of integrating hydrogen into airport energy systems. The findings suggest that utilizing boiled-off hydrogen for ground vehicles not only enhances energy efficiency but also supports the broader goal of reducing carbon emissions in the aviation industry.