A hydrogen-powered Hyzon truck has completed a trial run at Kaunas Airport, with employees and passengers invited to look on as the heavy-duty vehicle manoeuvred across the apron last month.
The airport is taking part in a new European Union-funded project that aims to promote the use of hydrogen across a number of different types of airport equipment, including specialised vehicles.
Similar tests are now taking place at airports in Helsinki, Riga, and Tallinn following the successful display at Kaunas Airport.
Specialists operated the 10-tonne vehicle and confirmed it could be used on the apron, runway and taxiway to remove snow and dust, as well as perform a number of additional surface maintenance tasks.
The initial test saw the Hyzon truck cover roughly 100 kilometres whilst carrying out standard apron and runway cleaning tasks, with the trial lasting several days. All test locations were selected to ensure that, in the event that the vehicle suddenly stopped operating, it would not disrupt airport activities.
Additionally, a mass-produced Toyota Mirai passenger car, also powered entirely by hydrogen, was successfully tested at Kaunas Airport during the same trial period.
Modestas Alekna, Head of Sustainable Aviation Projects at Lithuanian Airports (LTOU), said:Ground transport is just as important to airport operations as aircraft. We are active contributors to sustainability-driven change and have embedded green transition goals into our long-term strategy.
Green hydrogen is considered a fuel of the future – a clean energy source closely linked to many key renewable energy projects. Testing hydrogen-powered transport, along with the entire Interreg Baltic Sea Region BSR HyAirport project, provides us with valuable experience.
