Hydrogen aircraft developer ZeroAvia has announced that its application to the Innovation Fund for a €21.4m grant to support the introduction of hydrogen-electric aircraft has been selected for grant agreement preparation. The project will support the retrofit of 15 Cessna Caravan aircraft with ZeroAvia’s ZA600 hydrogen-electric engines and the establishment of the supporting airport hydrogen fuel technologies, with operations planned to commence in 2028.
The Innovation Fund, financed by EU Emissions Trading System revenues, is one of the world’s largest funding programs for the demonstration of innovative low-carbon technologies. The Fund focuses on highly innovative clean technologies and big flagship projects with European added value that can bring significant emission and greenhouse gas reductions.
The Innovation Fund-selected project will support the introduction of zero-emission hydrogen aircraft for the first time in the European Economic Area (EEA). Project ODIN (Operations to Decarbonize Interconnectivity in Norway) also sees the European Commission recognise hydrogen-electric aviation as a strategic technology
More about ZeroAvia
The zero-emission aircraft being developed by ZeroAvia are planned to replace conventional kerosene-fueled turboprops on cargo routes and are expected to see in excess of 95% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The project will also work to deliver hydrogen refuelling and storage infrastructure at 15 airports in Norway, establishing the world’s largest network of zero-emission commercial flights. The air operators for the network will be announced in due course.
The ODIN project aims to validate the technical performance and economic case for utilizing hydrogen-electric aircraft in commercial operations, with a view to catalyzing further adoption in Norway, across the EU, and further afield. According to a ZeroAvia statement, the project proposal was found to contribute to the objectives of the EU initiative “Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP)” and meet the requirements to receive the STEP Seal. The STEP Seal is a quality label awarded by the European Commission dedicated to boosting investment in critical technologies in Europe.
ZeroAvia’s ZA600 powertrain uses fuel cells to generate electricity from hydrogen fuel without reliance on combustion, meaning that the only emission is low-temperature water vapour.
ZeroAvia has already flight tested a prototype of this system, is now ground testing its final design for certification, and is concurrently working with both the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on certification programmes related to the engine.
What does ZeroAvia say?
“The EU Innovation Fund is notoriously competitive with applications needing to pass through rigorous assessment and demonstrate compelling evidence for near-term greenhouse gas reductions,” commented Val Miftakhov, Founder & CEO of ZeroAvia.
“This project will set a phenomenal example by introducing a scaled network of hydrogen-electric aircraft operations, efficiently delivering vital goods to people and businesses across Norway without the typical associated environmental damage.”
ZeroAvia is one of the world’s leading hydrogen aviation companies, driving the transition to a clean future of flight by developing electric propulsion technologies for aviation to unlock lower costs and emissions, cleaner air, reduced noise, energy independence, and increased connectivity.
The company is developing hydrogen-electric (fuel cell-powered) engines for existing commercial aircraft segments and also supplying hydrogen and electric propulsion component technologies for novel electric air transport applications (including battery, hybrid, and fuel cell-powered electric fixed-wing aircraft, eVTOLs, rotorcraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs).
ZeroAvia has submitted the plans for its first full engine for up to 20-seat planes for certification and is working on a larger powertrain for 40 to 80-seat aircraft, with significant flight tests and regulatory milestones achieved with the FAA and the CAA.
