As governments, airlines, and manufacturers race toward net-zero targets by 2050, attention is turning to promising candidates for cleaner skies: hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF).
At this year’s Tampere Aviation Forum themed “On the Wings of Industry,” experts and stakeholders gathered to explore how innovations like sustainable fuels, electrification, automation – and increasingly, hydrogen – are reshaping the industry. Tampere Aviation Forum is part of Business Tampere’s ongoing effort to champion the development of the Tampere-Pirkkala airport and position it as a center of passenger transport and logistics in the region and it was held on October 1, 2025, at the Tampere Exhibition & Sports Centre.
Among the speakers was Aivars Starikovs, who described how the EU co-funded BSR HyAirport initiative is preparing Baltic Sea region airports for hydrogen-powered aviation. With airports, service providers, industry, and research organizations on board, the project focuses on enabling airports to handle hydrogen aircraft, as well as store and deliver green hydrogen, highlighting that the shift toward cleaner energy in aviation is already underway. Starikovs is Member of the Board of Hydrogen Europe and Latvian Hydrogen Association. He is also scheduled to deliver a presentation at the upcoming Hydrogen Summit and Expo 2026.
Pasi Keinänen, Founder & CO at Liquid Sun, presented their pilot project which introduces pioneering method for producing sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) by converting biogenic CO₂ and renewable hydrogen using low-temperature electrolysis (LTE) technology. In collaboration with ABB, Finnair, Fortum, and Finavia, the initiative is designed to evolve from a pilot into a scalable, integrated ecosystem for eSAF production anchored in Finland’s emerging hydrogen value chain. Keinänen will provide further insights into the topic at the Hydrogen Summit & Expo in Tampere 14-15 January 2026.
Hydrogen isn’t new to aviation research, but it’s gaining fresh momentum as technology improves and climate pressures intensify. Unlike traditional jet fuel, hydrogen produces no carbon dioxide when used in fuel cells.
The path to hydrogen-powered flight isn’t simple. Aviation is a heavily regulated business where every change takes time. Hydrogen must be produced cleanly, ideally from renewable energy and stored safely. Airports would need new refueling systems, safety protocols, and supply chains to make hydrogen operations routine.
Aircraft manufacturers are starting small: experimental planes with 10-20 seats are already being tested to validate the technology before scaling up. Companies like Airbus and ZeroAvia are demonstrating that hydrogen-powered flight is already feasible. ZeroAvia, for instance, has aircraft ready for commercialization once refueling infrastructure is in place. Hydrogen is also being used successfully in drones, underscoring the technology’s readiness for broader adoption.
The next solid step may come on the ground rather than in the sky. Airfield sweepers, snow blowers, and other ground support vehicles can alreadey be hydrogen-powered, cutting emissions at airports and helping build experience with hydrogen handling and infrastructure. Such smaller-scale uses serve as stepping stones toward sustainable, low-emission airports and aircraft.
Hydrogen alone won’t be the core of aviation’s future, but it will certainly be a part of it. Making that happen will take more than technology; it requires a network, an ecosystem that includes energy providers, aircraft manufacturers, airport operators, and policymakers working together toward the same goal.
As that ecosystem develops, hydrogen’s role will expand, and the dream of cleaner flight and cleaner airports will move closer to reality. Change in aviation takes time, but the direction is clear: the future of flight will be lighter, cleaner, and powered by collaboration.
