Target True Zero: Delivering the Infrastructure for Battery and Hydrogen-Powered Flight

The report identifies that transitioning to alternative propulsion in aviation will require between 600 and 1,700 TWh of clean energy by 2050, necessitating a total capital investment of $700 billion to $1.7 trillion. While most of this investment (approximately 90%) is for off-airport infrastructure like power generation and hydrogen electrolysis, large airports may see their electricity consumption increase by 5-10 times. The document emphasizes that infrastructure planning must begin immediately, with the first on-airport elements needed by 2025, and argues for deep collaboration between aviation stakeholders and the wider green energy ecosystem to secure supply in a constrained environment.

• Global clean energy demand to support alternative propulsion is projected to reach between 600 and 1,700 TWh by 2050, which is comparable to the output of 10-25 of the world's largest wind farms or a solar farm half the size of Belgium.
• Large airports may experience a 5-10 fold increase in electricity consumption by 2050 to support alternative propulsion technologies.
• The transition to alternative propulsion will necessitate two distinct infrastructure value chains—one for hydrogen and one for battery-electric aviation—incorporating partners currently outside the aviation ecosystem.
• While airports generally have sufficient space for hydrogen storage and liquefaction, they lack the land area required to generate all the clean energy needed for these aircraft. For example, Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport would need 5,800 hectares of solar panels to meet its prudent scenario demands, exceeding its total area of 3,300 hectares.
• Total capital investment for the alternative propulsion value chain by 2050 is estimated between $700 billion and $1.7 trillion, with approximately 90% allocated to off-airport infrastructure such as power generation and hydrogen electrolysis.
• On-airport infrastructure investment will be significantly higher for large hubs than for smaller airports, though the costs for a large hub are comparable to other major projects like building a new terminal.
• Operating costs for alternative propulsion are expected to be 76-86% above the market price for green electricity due to the additional costs of aviation-specific infrastructure.
• To meet 2050 goals, investment must start immediately, with the first on-airport infrastructure components required by 2025 to meet energy demands.
• Coordinated infrastructure investment across regions and airports is essential to enable the network effects and connectivity required for alternative propulsion to be feasible.
• The aviation industry must partner with other sectors, such as refineries and steel manufacturers, to secure green electricity and hydrogen in a supply-constrained environment.

APA

World Economic Forum (2023). Target True Zero: Delivering the Infrastructure for Battery and Hydrogen-Powered Flight. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Target_True_Zero_2023.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Target True Zero: Delivering the Infrastructure for Battery and Hydrogen-Powered Flight. 2023. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Target_True_Zero_2023.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Target True Zero: Delivering the Infrastructure for Battery and Hydrogen-Powered Flight |date=April 2023 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Target_True_Zero_2023.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2023target, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Target True Zero: Delivering the Infrastructure for Battery and Hydrogen-Powered Flight}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2023}, month = apr, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Target_True_Zero_2023.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }