The Rolls-Royce Group provides technology that drives the demand for decarbonised power, as well as for generating the clean, continuous and economic energy required to scale up hydrogen production.
Rolls-Royce’s range of complex power technologies play a significant role in the utilisation of hydrogen to achieve decarbonisation through hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen powered flight, hydrogen combustion engine technology and synthetic aviation fuel.
By producing a range of products based on hydrogen fuel cells to provide backup power, energy storage or decentralised energy generation, Rolls Royce have created hydrogen powered flight for use on small commuter routes and vertical aviation opportunities.
Rolls-Royce is also developing a hydrogen fuelled combustion engine capable of powering a range of aircrafts. The latest trials of a Pearl 700 engine running on 100% hydrogen fuel have proven that hydrogen fuel can be combusted at conditions representing maximum take-off thrust. Rolls-Royce has committed that all civil aerospace engines will be compatible with 100% SAF blends by the end of 2023.
Another pioneering solution for the delivery of nuclear power, which is positioned to play a significant role in the hydrogen industry’s sustainable energy transition, comes from the Rolls-Royce SMR (Small Modular Reactor) programme. It offers flexible, low carbon energy generation capable of producing both electrical and thermal power, that is a critical component for improving the efficiency of hydrogen production.
The Rolls-Royce SMR power plant enables production operations where a baseload hydrogen demand profile can be met without the need for large amounts of storage, or grid imports, that have carbon uncertainty. This supply can be delivered at an economical cost through the SMR solution that is deployed alongside reducing the cost and complexity of transport and storage.
Utilising existing, proven technologies of a Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) in combination with a standardised, modular approach, factory manufacture and assembly of these standard building blocks, allows the Rolls-Royce SMR to create a power plant that is low cost and deliverable. This provides an investable and scalable solution to sustainable energy generation that can support the growing hydrogen industry.
Rolls-Royce’s range of complex power technologies play a significant role in the utilisation of hydrogen to achieve decarbonisation:
- Hydrogen powered flight – Combining hydrogen fuel cells with all electric aircraft to create hydrogen powered flight for small commuter routes and vertical aviation opportunities.
- Hydrogen combustion engine technology – Rolls-Royce is developing a hydrogen fuelled combustion engine capable of powering a range of aircrafts. The latest trials of a Pearl 700 engine running on 100% hydrogen fuel have proven that hydrogen fuel can be combusted at conditions representing maximum take-off thrust.
- Synthetic Aviation Fuel (SAF) – Rolls-Royce has committed for all civil aerospace engines to be compatible with 100% SAF blends by the end of 2023. SMR’s can remove the limitation on feedstock availability to ensure the sustainability of long haul flight.
