US-UK zero carbon emissions aviation company ZeroAvia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) clean energy group Masdar have entered a partnership to examine the production and supply of hydrogen at key locations. Initially, the partnership will concentrate on European and North American projects, but will also explore opportunities to set up clean flight operations in the UAE.

“We need large investment in renewable energy capacity to accelerate a future of truly clean flight for the entire industry, so we are delighted to partner with Madar in this endeavour,” affirmed ZeroAvia founder and CEO Val Miftakhov. “Together, we are bringing the clean propulsion technology and the fuel to airlines to ensure that passengers can fly without any emissions and climate effects as soon as possible.”

“Masdar looks forward to working with innovative partners like ZeroAvia to advance decarbonisation in hard-to-abate sectors, such as aviation,” highlighted Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi. “As the UAE’s clean energy champion, we are passionate about unlocking the potential of green hydrogen to build a greener future for all.”

ZeroAvia is developing greenhouse gas emissions-free propulsion systems for aircraft, using hydrogen fuel cells in combination with electric motors, and recently completed its first flight test campaign for its initial ZA600 system, using a modified Dornier Do 228 twin-engine commuter aircraft. These systems will require hydrogen as fuel. And this hydrogen has to be, and can be, produced in a green manner, using renewable energy.

A 90-seat airliner using a ZeroAvia propulsion system would need 1 t of hydrogen for each short regional flight. So, even a small commercial airport could have a daily demand for more than 100 t of hydrogen. To be of practical use, the company’s propulsion systems must be supported by an adequate and reliable supply of hydrogen at all the airports from and to which the aircraft powered by them are operating. To this end, ZeroAvia is working with a number of major energy companies to ensure that its airline customers can get the hydrogen fuel they require, as soon as 2025.    

Masdar is seeking, by being a ‘smart first mover’, to become a global leader in green hydrogen, with a target of producing 1 000 000 t/y of green hydrogen by 2030. It will do so by investing in and developing strategic projects, and establishing, in key markets, scalable platforms.

Masdar is also deeply committed to helping the UAE to achieve its national green hydrogen ambitions. The UAE is seeking to produce 1 400 000 t/y of green hydrogen by 2031 and 15 000 000 t/y by 2050.