How the future of sustainable aviation is taking off

It demands a complete transformation of how aircraft are designed, certified and operated. 

In the latest episode of the EU Energy Projects Podcast, representatives from the ALRIGH2T and pAIramid projects, both members of the Zabala Cluster, discuss how hydrogen technologies and artificial intelligence are helping make that transformation possible.

María Yáñez, R&D Project Consultant at Zabala Innovation, explains how the ALRIGH2T project is preparing airports for the introduction of liquid hydrogen. Rather than focusing solely on technology development, the project addresses the practical realities of hydrogen deployment, including storage, refuelling infrastructure, safety procedures, operational logistics and regulatory harmonisation across Europe. A digital twin of the refuelling system further enables engineers to simulate complex scenarios before carrying out physical demonstrations.

Representing the pAIramid project, Andreas Villarreal highlights how AI can revolutionise the certification of next-generation composite aircraft structures. By combining high fidelity virtual testing, explainable AI and federated learning, the project aims to significantly reduce the time and cost associated with traditional physical testing while maintaining transparency and protecting commercially sensitive data.

Although their technologies differ, both projects share a common objective: accelerating innovation while ensuring safety, efficiency and industry confidence. From smarter certification processes to cleaner airport operations, AI, digital twins and hydrogen are becoming key enablers of aviation's green transition.

Together, ALRIGH2T and pAIramid demonstrate how collaborative European research is laying the foundations for a more sustainable, resilient and digitally enabled aviation sector.

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