Flightpath 2050 very ambitiously targets 75% CO2 and 90% NOx emissions reductions, relative to year 2000. It is highly unlikely that these targets will be met with carbon containing fuels, despite large research efforts on advanced, and in many cases disruptive, airframe and propulsion technologies, even when coupled with improved asset and life cycle management procedures. Liquid hydrogen (LH2) has long been seen as a technically feasible fuel for a fully sustainable aviation future yet its use is still subject to widespread scepticism. ENABLEH2 will mature critical technologies for LH2 based propulsion to achieve zero mission-level CO2 and ultra-low NOx emissions, with long term safety and sustainability. ENABLEH2 will tackle key challenges i.e. safety, infrastructure development, economic sustainability, community acceptance, and explore key opportunities through improved combustor design and fuel system heat management, to further minimize NOx emissions, improve energy efficiency and reduce the required volumes of LH2. The project will include experimental and analytical work for two key enabling technologies: H2 micromix combustion and fuel system heat management. These technologies will be evaluated and analysed for competing aircraft scenarios; an advanced tube and wing, and a blended wing body / hybrid wing body aircraft, both featuring distributed turbo-electric propulsion systems and boundary layer ingestion. The study will include mission energy efficiency and life cycle CO2 and economic studies of the technologies under various fuel price and emissions taxation scenarios. ENABLEH2 will deliver a comprehensive safety audit characterising and mitigating hazards in order to support integration and acceptance of LH2. Solutions will be proposed for any socioeconomic hurdles to further development of the technologies. A roadmap to develop the key enabling technologies and the integrated aircraft and propulsion systems to TRL 6 by 2030-2035 will be provided.

SOLAR2CHEM will train 15 early stage researchers to fill the existing gap in the European industrial landscape in the area of solar chemicals production and usage in technical, economic and policy aspects. The consortium is formed by 12 beneficiaries including 9 academic and 3 non-academic organisations plus 8 partner organisations to cover a full training programme on scientific, technical and personal development skills which will include secondments in current world leading countries (Japan, US, Australia) to gather the necessary knowledge and implement it in Europe. The main objectives of the programme are i) to train 15 ESRs in state of the art concepts and techniques, with a strong focus on interdisciplinary knowledge on physical sciences (chemistry, physics, materials science and engineering), providing communication, leadership, management skills and solid professional connections; ii) to advance knowledge on hybrid devices for solar chemicals production focussing on novel molecules and materials exceeding current efficiencies and selectivity, while considering the environmental footprint based on materials availability and manufacturing process. Special attention will be given to state of the art characterisation techniques and modelling; and iii) to cover the promotion of solar chemicals within policy-makers and stakeholders, and the development of the private sector through communication to the general public. Strong links with industrial partners and technology transfer offices will ensure that the existing gap is filled.