Photo: Universal Hydrogen
Brand-new airliners that can operate just as conventional ones, but with zero emissions, are still somewhere in the future. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is widely considered the best solution that’s available right now for existing fleets. But that’s not the only path to green commercial aviation. The benefits of green hydrogen could be reaped sooner than expected, with the help of conversion kits and adequate logistics.
Universal Hydrogen is a young company (founded in 2020) with big dreams. Headquartered in Hawthorne, California, it has already secured partnerships with major airlines in the U.S., and is now headed to Japan.
It’s not building a hydrogen-powered aircraft from scratch (although that is the ultimate goal) but trying to find a solution for the current aircraft. For now, it has developed an efficient conversion kit for aircraft, and a hydrogen capsule that goes along with it.
It will be at least a decade before large, single-aisle aircraft could cover conventional routes using only sustainably-produced hydrogen. But that shouldn’t mean that we can’t have entire fleets running on hydrogen in the next couple of years. That’s because existing airliners can be converted, as long as the adequate infrastructure and supply chain are also in place.
The Californian startup has already gathered some big names as its partners. In the summer of 2022, Connect Airlines had selected its conversion kit for a future fleet of 75 converted aircraft. The ATR 72-600, fitted with a hydrogen powertrain, would operate on regional flights with zero emissions. The first one is scheduled to take off as soon as 2025.
Later that same year, American Airlines became a Universal Hydrogen investor, alongside Toyota Ventures and GE Aviation. When it comes to zero emissions, American isn’t putting all its eggs in one basket.
In addition to having announced what was described as the biggest SAF purchase in history, it also claims to be the only airline operator in America to have made not just one, but two direct investments connected to hydrogen (the other one is a partnership with ZeroAvia).
Following these successes, Universal Hydrogen is taking its conversion solution and modular capsule to Japan. This is a large-scale project that involves partnerships with three local companies (Mitsubishi HC Capital, Sojitz Corporation, and a third undisclosed one) as well as collaborating with local authorities and other industry members.
While the Californian startup will provide two pieces of the puzzle (the powertrain and the capsules) its Japanese partners will work on multiple fronts, including the selection of local hydrogen suppliers, and potential financing strategies to encourage airline operators to switch to hydrogen.
Since this is a complex project, it’s going to take some time to implement the entire infrastructure and logistics systems, with no official date set up yet. But folks in the U.S. only have to wait two more years until regional zero-emission aircraft will start operating with Connect Airlines.
It’s not building a hydrogen-powered aircraft from scratch (although that is the ultimate goal) but trying to find a solution for the current aircraft. For now, it has developed an efficient conversion kit for aircraft, and a hydrogen capsule that goes along with it.
It will be at least a decade before large, single-aisle aircraft could cover conventional routes using only sustainably-produced hydrogen. But that shouldn’t mean that we can’t have entire fleets running on hydrogen in the next couple of years. That’s because existing airliners can be converted, as long as the adequate infrastructure and supply chain are also in place.
The Californian startup has already gathered some big names as its partners. In the summer of 2022, Connect Airlines had selected its conversion kit for a future fleet of 75 converted aircraft. The ATR 72-600, fitted with a hydrogen powertrain, would operate on regional flights with zero emissions. The first one is scheduled to take off as soon as 2025.
Later that same year, American Airlines became a Universal Hydrogen investor, alongside Toyota Ventures and GE Aviation. When it comes to zero emissions, American isn’t putting all its eggs in one basket.
In addition to having announced what was described as the biggest SAF purchase in history, it also claims to be the only airline operator in America to have made not just one, but two direct investments connected to hydrogen (the other one is a partnership with ZeroAvia).
Following these successes, Universal Hydrogen is taking its conversion solution and modular capsule to Japan. This is a large-scale project that involves partnerships with three local companies (Mitsubishi HC Capital, Sojitz Corporation, and a third undisclosed one) as well as collaborating with local authorities and other industry members.
While the Californian startup will provide two pieces of the puzzle (the powertrain and the capsules) its Japanese partners will work on multiple fronts, including the selection of local hydrogen suppliers, and potential financing strategies to encourage airline operators to switch to hydrogen.
Since this is a complex project, it’s going to take some time to implement the entire infrastructure and logistics systems, with no official date set up yet. But folks in the U.S. only have to wait two more years until regional zero-emission aircraft will start operating with Connect Airlines.
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