Renewable

December 21 (Renewables Now) - The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), a UK test and research centre, said it will provide green hydrogen and related fuelling systems to enable California-based start-up ZeroAvia run flight tests with a 19-passenger hydrogen-powered aircraft.

ZeroAvia, which recently raised USD 21.4 million (EUR 17.6m) in Series A financing to expand its R&D programme, is launching the next phase of its hydrogen-electric powertrain development.

In September, ZeroAvia completed one flight with a hydrogen fuel cell-powered commercial six-seat plane at Cranfield Airport, England, as part of the HyFlyer project. In the HyFlyer II phase, the start-up will develop the first certifiable hydrogen-electric powertrain capable of powering a 19-seat aircraft, EMEC said.

The HyFlyer II project got a GBP-12.3-million (USD 16.3m/EUR 13.4m) boost from the UK government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) and Innovate UK, a public innovation agency. Besides EMEC, the project is also bringing in UK electric motor developer Aeristech to integrate its air compressor system as part of the new 19-seat powertrain.

The goal of the project is to complete a 350-mile flight in early 2023.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.821)

(GBP 1.0 = USD 1.323/EUR 1.086)

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