Eloa Guillotin is the Co-founder and CEO of Beyond Aero.
The topic of aviation emissions is complex. Flying is in many ways a crucial part of our global society, and although COVID lockdowns temporarily reduced frequent flying, the reliance on air travel in modern society is indisputable.
Aviation accounts for over 2% of global emissions. Lithium-ion batteries are heavy, which doesn't really pair well with flight. Sustainable aviation fuel is one potential solution and has promise as a drop in replacement for kerosene. But what about hydrogen?
Beyond Aero, under Eloa's leadership, is exploring hydrogen as a fuel source for small business or private jets. This episode dives into the potential of hydrogen for this aircraft category, France's commitment to hydrogen aviation, how Beyond Aero has designed its solution and how Eloa sees the market evolving.
In this episode, we cover:
- [03:48]: Beyond Aero's hydrogen-based electric aviation mission
- [04:51]: Designing an aircraft from the ground up
- [06:28]: Hydrogen as an energy vector in aviation
- [07:47]: Hydrogen tanks' weight and efficiency vs. jet fuel
- [09:47]: Beyond Aero's design focus on fuel cell, not combustion
- [10:48]: Market potential of a thousand-mile range hydrogen aircraft
- [12:27]: Complexities of aircraft compressor systems in hydrogen-powered planes
- [15:21]: Cooling system challenges for hydrogen-powered aircraft
- [18:02]: Comparing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) usage in commercial aviation to Airbus's hydrogen initiatives
- [20:54]: France's role in advancing hydrogen-powered aviation
- [23:33]: French government investment in low carbon aircraft and startups
- [25:04]: Role of pink hydrogen (from nuclear energy) in France's aviation strategy
- [29:24]: Future flight behaviors and electric aircraft's environmental impact
- [31:36]: Environmental concerns and potential of hydrogen in private jets
- [33:21]: Shift in business jet market towards hydrogen
- [35:45]: Certification timeline for hydrogen-powered aircraft
- [38:19]: Differentiating hydrogen-powered from battery-powered aircraft
- [41:17]: Eloa's journey to founding Beyond Aero
- [49:10]: Beyond Aero's next steps and long-term vision in electric aviation
Episode recorded on Dec 13, 2023 (Published on Jan 18, 2024)
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*Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant