British airline EasyJet and engineering company Rolls-Royce successfully carried out the world's first ground test of a modern aero engine on hydrogen.

“It marks a major step towards proving that hydrogen could be a zero carbon aviation fuel of the future and is a key proof point in the decarbonization strategies of both Rolls-Royce and EasyJet,” Rolls-Royce said in a statement.

The test took place at an outdoor test facility at the Ministry of Defense's Boscombe Down site in Amesbury, Wiltshire.

'The success of this hydrogen test is an exciting milestone,' said Rolls-Royce chief technology officer Grazia Vittadini.

Johan Lundgren, CEO of EasyJet, 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.”

Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Grant Shapps, noted the test “is an exciting demonstration of how business innovation can transform the way we live our lives.”