United Airlines has become the largest airliner in the world to invest in hydrogen flight following its acquisition of a new equity stake in UK-based startup ZeroAvia.
Credit: United Airlines
The purchase could help the US aerospace company launch a fleet of 100 hydrogen-powered jets by 2028 as part of its plans to operate at net-zero emissions by 2050, by retrofitting existing aircraft with ZeroAvia engines.
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“Hydrogen-electric engines are one of the most promising paths to zero-emission air travel for smaller aircraft, and this investment will keep United out in front on this important emerging technology,” said United CEO Scott Kirby.
“United continues to look for opportunities to not only advance our own sustainability initiatives but also identify and help technologies and solutions that the entire industry can adopt.”
Hydrogen jets have seen significantly less development than alternatives such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which has turned some heads in the sector, with major players believing significantly more innovation is required to make the technology a reality.
The only by-product of burning hydrogen is water, which means there is little-to-no environmental impact from using it as a fuel. Hydrogen-electric engines use electricity created by a chemical reaction in a fuel cell to power an electric motor instead of burning fossil fuel.
ZeroAvia revealed it completed its first hydrogen fuel cell-powered flight of a commercial aircraft in September 2020. Earlier in December, United completed a passenger jet trial with SAF.
The startup's engines are expected to be operated in pairs as a new power source for existing aircraft.
ZeroAvia CEO Val Miftakhov said continued investment in hydrogen engines show there is some life in the concept which could soon offer stiff competition to other forms of low-carbon flight.
“The United Express routes powered by hydrogen-electric aircraft will be enabling large numbers of passengers to take zero-emission flights well within this decade", he added.
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ZeroAvia is set to continue hydrogen tests on smaller aircraft, hoping to commence commercial use of smaller hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2024.
It claims it has secured experimental certificates for two prototype aircraft from the FAA in the United States and the Civil Aviation Authority in the UK and has passed significant flight test milestones.
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