The Department for Transport has announced the winners of a competition to support zero emission flight technology and research.
Winning projects include wireless charging for electric planes, swappable battery packs to keep flight turnover times to a minimum and fuelling tanks to safely and efficiently refuel flights.
The 15 successful projects have been awarded a share of over £700,000 to help bring forward research and technology, which can support UK airports in handling new types of electric and hydrogen aircraft.
The competition has offered grants of up to £50,000 to fund 15 innovative technology development projects from 12 organisations within these priority areas:
- Hydrogen storage, handling, aircraft refuelling/defueling, distribution, and associated technologies
- Electric charging, storage, handling, batteries, electric distribution, and associated technologies for electric-powered aircraft
- Research into future demand scenarios for airside use of green hydrogen and electricity at UK airports
The winning projects are:
Cranfield University (3 projects) –
- Low carbon energy demand scenarios for aviation (LOCESA)
- Wireless opportunity charging of electric aircraft
- Hydrogen Safety in Aviation: an immersive XR training scenario for airport personnel
University of Warwick (2 projects) –
- Creation of Full Airport Energy Model to Simulate/Understand Infrastructure Impacts of Electric and Hydrogen Aircraft and Support Vehicles on Airports – A Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) Case Study with Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA)
- Evaluation of safety zones and mitigation measures for hydrogen refuelling infrastructure at airports
Protium Green Solutions Limited –
- Developing a digital twin for the fast refuelling process and procedure for gaseous hydrogen aircraft
Hive Composites Limited –
- Next-Generation Thermoplastic Composite Pipe for Hydrogen Distribution in Airports
Stratospheric Platforms Ltd –
- Development of a safety zonal tool for the operation of liquid hydrogen powered aircraft at airfields
EGB Engineering Consultants Ltd –
- Modelling of Electricity and Green Hydrogen Scenarios to meet future Airport Demand (MEHSAD)
ZeroAvia Limited –
- Liquid Hydrogen Airport Refuelling Ecosystem (LHARE)
University of Strathclyde –
- Solutions Pathway Evaluation Toolkit for Airside Infrastructure to Power Zero Emissions Flight
Ultima Forma Ltd –
- Flexible electroformed twin-walled hydrogen fuel hoses
Ampaire Ltd –
- Modelling demand of electric aviation and airport infrastructure
School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Queen’s University Belfast –
- UltraCompHy: Ultra-lightweight composite pressure vessels for safe and cost-effective hydrogen storage
CD02 Ltd –
- SafeBatt: Swappable aircraft battery packs for safe ground handling and charging
CEO of Connected Places Catapult, Nicola Yates OBE said: 'Connected Places Catapult is delighted to welcome these fifteen innovative projects onto the TRIG: Zero Emission Flight programme. The progress being made in this sector to enable sustainable air travel is exciting and an important step for the UK’s successful transition to net zero.'
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