EasyJet and Rolls-Royce have claimed a new aviation milestone with the first hydrogen operation of a modern aero engine.
The ground test was conducted using green hydrogen created by wind and tidal power.
The trial took place at an outdoor test facility using a converted Rolls-Royce regional jet engine.
Green hydrogen for the tests was supplied by the European Marine Energy Centre, generated using renewable energy at a hydrogen production and tidal test facility in the Orkney Islands.
The budget airline and the engine manufacturer have set out to prove that hydrogen can safely and efficiently deliver power for civil aero engines.
They are already planning a second set of trials, with a longer-term ambition to carry out flight tests.
Easyjet chief executive Johan Lundgren said: “This is a real success for our partnership team.
“We are committed to continuing to support this ground-breaking research because hydrogen offers great possibilities for a range of aircraft, including easyJet-sized aircraft.
“That will be a huge step forward in meeting the challenge of net zero by 2050.”
Rolls-Royce chief technology officer Grazia Vittadini said: “The success of this hydrogen test is an exciting milestone.
“We only announced our partnership with easyJet in July and we are already off to an incredible start with this landmark achievement.
“We are pushing the boundaries to discover the zero carbon possibilities of hydrogen, which could help reshape the future of flight.”