Rotterdam The Hague Airport Opens Liquid Hydrogen Refuelling Station for Aviation

On 24 November, Rotterdam The Hague Airport (RTHA) reached an important milestone: Robert Simons, Deputy Mayor of Rotterdam, officially opened a liquid hydrogen refuelling station at the airport. This facility, developed within the European TULIPS project, marks valuable progress towards sustainable aviation and reducing CO₂ emissions. The new facility is primarily designed for research purposes. It enables the dispensing of liquid hydrogen for research and development aircraft and drones.

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Hydrogen Ground Support Equipment (GSE) in Focus at IGHC 2025

At the IATA Ground Handling Conference (IGHC2025) from 13-15 May, TULIPS shared its latest insights into the potential of hydrogen-powered ground support equipment (GSE) at airports. In a dedicated session, experts from Fraunhofer IML, Royal Schiphol Group, and TLD explored both the opportunities and challenges of integrating hydrogen into airport ground operations.

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Pilot with Hydrogen-powered Vehicles in Daily Operations: a First at Schiphol

Schiphol launches a pilot involving a specially developed aircraft tow vehicle and a prototype of a Toyota pick-up truck with an electric engine powered by hydrogen. Schiphol also has its own temporary hydrogen refueling station to supply these vehicles with hydrogen. The tow truck and refueling station are part of the EU funded TULIPS programme. With this pilot, the airport is taking an important step towards emission-free ground operations by 2030.

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TULIPS Hydrogen Event at Schiphol: A Look at the Future of Ground Handling

On Monday 8 September, TULIPS offered an exclusive first look at two groundbreaking innovations now in active use at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol: the hydrogen-electric tow truck and the hydrogen refuelling station, both located on the J-platform. This marks a major milestone for the Workpackage 4 team, who have worked tirelessly over the past years to bring these innovations to life. It’s also a significant step towards zero-emission ground handling and cleaner air on the apron.

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Maiden flight of a drone on liquid hydrogen, a Dutch first

On 28 August the HYDRA II, an innovative hydrogen-powered drone of Royal NLR, has made its first successful flights using liquid hydrogen as a fuel carrier. This marks an important step towards developing more sustainable aviation by making hydrogen technology suitable for commercial applications. The next step for the HYDRA II will be the TULIPS demonstration at Rotterdam The Hague Airport, where HYDRA II will again take flight. The demo will then include refuelling.

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‘Circularity in Airports’ Event; Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing is Key

On March 6th, Schiphol and TULIPS welcomed fourteen airports, airlines, and circular economy experts for a mini-conference on ‘Circularity in Airports’. This event focused on reducing and reusing cabin waste and waste streams from the terminal. Additionally, the reuse of construction materials was discussed. We need to move away from linear waste systems at airports, which cause more emissions. 

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Torino Airport’s February Highlights: TULIPS’ Visibility and Policy Impact

February was a bustling month for Torino Airport, highlighting both Torino’s and TULIPS’ technical advancements. But more important was that the TULIPS initiative gained significant recognition at local and national policy levels through various events and conferences. We are espcially proud that our hydrogen GPU (hGPU) has officially been featured in the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC)’s national guidelines for hydrogen in airport logistics.

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TULIPS in 2024: A Landmark Year for Our Sustainability Roadmaps 2030+  

In 2024, TULIPS achieved significant milestones. We strengthened industry connections, leveraged feedback from our first project review, and showcased our progress at 18 major events. Our Hydrogen GPU gained substantial interest, and we organized key events in Torino, advancing our clean energy transition efforts. Our highlights in one picture.

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