Techno-economic and environmental analysis of clean hydrogen deployment: A case study of Los Angeles International Airport

Sajjad Rezaei; Khaled Alsamri; Elio Simeoni; Jacqueline Huynh; Jack Brouwer

doi:10.1016/j.enconman.2025.119946

Techno-economic and environmental analysis of clean hydrogen deployment: A case study of Los Angeles International Airport

Sajjad Rezaei
, Khaled Alsamri
, Elio Simeoni
, Jacqueline Huynh
, Jack Brouwer

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The primary strategy for addressing environmental concerns related to global aviation emissions is transitioning to low-carbon propulsion technologies. Hydrogen (H₂) offers significant potential as a sustainable fuel, with anticipated zero to low carbon emissions. This study develops a methodological framework that integrates on-site electrolytic H₂ production, storage, and transportation for airport applications. For the first time, the techno-economic feasibility of supplying clean liquid hydrogen (LH₂) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to support its transition toward sustainable operations by 2050 is comprehensively analyzed. The results underscore the critical role of integrating long-term H₂ storage and short-term battery storage solutions to establish a reliable, self-sustained microgrid system at LAX. The estimated levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) ranges from $6.77 to $7.10 per kilogram of H₂ in 2030, decreasing significantly to approximately $3.78 per kilogram of H₂ by 2050, showing the viability of deploying clean H₂ at LAX. Additionally, this study, for the first time, quantifies the global warming potential (GWP) of clean H₂ supply pathways for airport applications, revealing a range of 0.29 to 0.35 kg CO₂-eq/kg H₂ by 2050, with H₂ venting from electrolysis identified as the dominant contributor. The findings emphasize the feasibility of H₂ as a sustainable aviation fuel and provide actionable strategies for its implementation at LAX. This work advances the hydrogen aviation field by bridging the gap between the general clean H₂ supply chain strategies and the specific needs of the aviation sector, thereby contributing to California's ambitious climate goals. Future research is recommended to address limitations in cost optimization, lifecycle impacts, policy incentives, and safety innovations, enabling the scalable and practical implementation of H₂ as a sustainable aviation fuel at airports.

Original language	English
Article number	119946
Journal	Energy Conversion and Management
Volume	340
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2025.119946
Publication status	Published - Sept 15 2025
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Global warming potential
Hydrogen aviation
Levelized cost of hydrogen
Liquid hydrogen supply
Sustainable airports

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
Nuclear Energy and Engineering
Fuel Technology
Energy Engineering and Power Technology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.enconman.2025.119946

Cite this

@article{e3cca243fa944441ad484f4e672b2dbb,

title = "Techno-economic and environmental analysis of clean hydrogen deployment: A case study of Los Angeles International Airport",

abstract = "The primary strategy for addressing environmental concerns related to global aviation emissions is transitioning to low-carbon propulsion technologies. Hydrogen (H2) offers significant potential as a sustainable fuel, with anticipated zero to low carbon emissions. This study develops a methodological framework that integrates on-site electrolytic H2 production, storage, and transportation for airport applications. For the first time, the techno-economic feasibility of supplying clean liquid hydrogen (LH2) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to support its transition toward sustainable operations by 2050 is comprehensively analyzed. The results underscore the critical role of integrating long-term H2 storage and short-term battery storage solutions to establish a reliable, self-sustained microgrid system at LAX. The estimated levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) ranges from \$6.77 to \$7.10 per kilogram of H2 in 2030, decreasing significantly to approximately \$3.78 per kilogram of H2 by 2050, showing the viability of deploying clean H2 at LAX. Additionally, this study, for the first time, quantifies the global warming potential (GWP) of clean H2 supply pathways for airport applications, revealing a range of 0.29 to 0.35 kg CO2-eq/kg H2 by 2050, with H2 venting from electrolysis identified as the dominant contributor. The findings emphasize the feasibility of H2 as a sustainable aviation fuel and provide actionable strategies for its implementation at LAX. This work advances the hydrogen aviation field by bridging the gap between the general clean H2 supply chain strategies and the specific needs of the aviation sector, thereby contributing to California's ambitious climate goals. Future research is recommended to address limitations in cost optimization, lifecycle impacts, policy incentives, and safety innovations, enabling the scalable and practical implementation of H2 as a sustainable aviation fuel at airports.",

keywords = "Global warming potential, Hydrogen aviation, Levelized cost of hydrogen, Liquid hydrogen supply, Sustainable airports",

author = "Sajjad Rezaei and Khaled Alsamri and Elio Simeoni and Jacqueline Huynh and Jack Brouwer",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 Elsevier Ltd",

year = "2025",

month = sep,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.enconman.2025.119946",

language = "English",

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T1 - Techno-economic and environmental analysis of clean hydrogen deployment

T2 - A case study of Los Angeles International Airport

AU - Rezaei, Sajjad

AU - Alsamri, Khaled

AU - Simeoni, Elio

AU - Huynh, Jacqueline

AU - Brouwer, Jack

PY - 2025/9/15

Y1 - 2025/9/15

N2 - The primary strategy for addressing environmental concerns related to global aviation emissions is transitioning to low-carbon propulsion technologies. Hydrogen (H2) offers significant potential as a sustainable fuel, with anticipated zero to low carbon emissions. This study develops a methodological framework that integrates on-site electrolytic H2 production, storage, and transportation for airport applications. For the first time, the techno-economic feasibility of supplying clean liquid hydrogen (LH2) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to support its transition toward sustainable operations by 2050 is comprehensively analyzed. The results underscore the critical role of integrating long-term H2 storage and short-term battery storage solutions to establish a reliable, self-sustained microgrid system at LAX. The estimated levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) ranges from $6.77 to $7.10 per kilogram of H2 in 2030, decreasing significantly to approximately $3.78 per kilogram of H2 by 2050, showing the viability of deploying clean H2 at LAX. Additionally, this study, for the first time, quantifies the global warming potential (GWP) of clean H2 supply pathways for airport applications, revealing a range of 0.29 to 0.35 kg CO2-eq/kg H2 by 2050, with H2 venting from electrolysis identified as the dominant contributor. The findings emphasize the feasibility of H2 as a sustainable aviation fuel and provide actionable strategies for its implementation at LAX. This work advances the hydrogen aviation field by bridging the gap between the general clean H2 supply chain strategies and the specific needs of the aviation sector, thereby contributing to California's ambitious climate goals. Future research is recommended to address limitations in cost optimization, lifecycle impacts, policy incentives, and safety innovations, enabling the scalable and practical implementation of H2 as a sustainable aviation fuel at airports.

AB - The primary strategy for addressing environmental concerns related to global aviation emissions is transitioning to low-carbon propulsion technologies. Hydrogen (H2) offers significant potential as a sustainable fuel, with anticipated zero to low carbon emissions. This study develops a methodological framework that integrates on-site electrolytic H2 production, storage, and transportation for airport applications. For the first time, the techno-economic feasibility of supplying clean liquid hydrogen (LH2) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to support its transition toward sustainable operations by 2050 is comprehensively analyzed. The results underscore the critical role of integrating long-term H2 storage and short-term battery storage solutions to establish a reliable, self-sustained microgrid system at LAX. The estimated levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) ranges from $6.77 to $7.10 per kilogram of H2 in 2030, decreasing significantly to approximately $3.78 per kilogram of H2 by 2050, showing the viability of deploying clean H2 at LAX. Additionally, this study, for the first time, quantifies the global warming potential (GWP) of clean H2 supply pathways for airport applications, revealing a range of 0.29 to 0.35 kg CO2-eq/kg H2 by 2050, with H2 venting from electrolysis identified as the dominant contributor. The findings emphasize the feasibility of H2 as a sustainable aviation fuel and provide actionable strategies for its implementation at LAX. This work advances the hydrogen aviation field by bridging the gap between the general clean H2 supply chain strategies and the specific needs of the aviation sector, thereby contributing to California's ambitious climate goals. Future research is recommended to address limitations in cost optimization, lifecycle impacts, policy incentives, and safety innovations, enabling the scalable and practical implementation of H2 as a sustainable aviation fuel at airports.

KW - Global warming potential

KW - Hydrogen aviation

KW - Levelized cost of hydrogen

KW - Liquid hydrogen supply

KW - Sustainable airports

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DO - 10.1016/j.enconman.2025.119946

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105005863574

SN - 0196-8904

VL - 340

JO - Energy Conversion and Management

JF - Energy Conversion and Management

M1 - 119946

ER -

Techno-economic and environmental analysis of clean hydrogen deployment: A case study of Los Angeles International Airport

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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