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Connect Airlines Plans to Become the First Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Airline in the U.S.

Universal Hydrogen, a Los Angeles-based firm that seeks to convert passenger aircraft to run on hydrogen, has teamed with Connect Airlines to create the "first" zero-emission airline in the U.S. To meet this ambitious goal, the two companies will begin operating a hydrogen-powered regional aircraft in North America in 2025.
Connect Airlines joined forces with Universal Hydrogen to create a zero-emission airline in the U.S. 6 photos
Photo: Connect Airlines
Using Universal Hydrogen's new tech, Connect Airlines will be able to convert 12 Dash 8-300 turboprops to hydrogen fuel cell powertrainsUsing Universal Hydrogen's new tech, Connect Airlines will be able to convert 12 Dash 8-300 turboprops to hydrogen fuel cell powertrainsUsing Universal Hydrogen's new tech, Connect Airlines will be able to convert 12 Dash 8-300 turboprops to hydrogen fuel cell powertrainsUsing Universal Hydrogen's new tech, Connect Airlines will be able to convert 12 Dash 8-300 turboprops to hydrogen fuel cell powertrainsUsing Universal Hydrogen's new tech, Connect Airlines will be able to convert 12 Dash 8-300 turboprops to hydrogen fuel cell powertrains
While most industry key players are betting on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and battery electric aircraft, hydrogen-powered planes are also on the table when it comes to future propulsion technologies capable of reducing carbon emissions.

In September 2020, Airbus unveiled the ZEROe concept aircraft, a trio of commercial jets that use hydrogen propulsion. Back then, the company stated its goal to turn these concepts into a reality by 2035.

It's a bold claim, and the aviation industry might need to move fast in order for that to happen. First of all, a hydrogen infrastructure needs to be established to enable refueling in the airports, and that means everyone must make a collective effort in that direction. Then, there's the risk associated with the fuel's volume (which requires bigger tanks) and its low-temperature properties.

Universal Hydrogen claims that it can support the industry make significant progress in using this type of propulsion. The company plans to do so by establishing a distribution network capable of delivering hydrogen to any commercial airport around the world.

To that end, it will use a conversion kit that consists of a hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrain that is compatible with Universal Hydrogen's modular capsule technology. The system allows the company to take the capsules produced at green hydrogen production facilities to the airport and load them directly into the aircraft at the rear of the fuselage.

Using Universal Hydrogen's new tech, Connect Airlines will be able to convert 12 Dash 8-300 turboprops to hydrogen fuel cell powertrains. The airline is currently in the final stages of obtaining certification from the U.S. regulators to operate from Toronto to Philadelphia International and Chicago O'Hare. Service is scheduled to begin next year.

Connect Airlines has also committed to purchase an additional 12 conversion kits of "other aircraft types." Universal Hydrogen intends to use its conversion kits by 2025 and supply the hydrogen needed by these aircraft.

Until then, the airline is expected to begin operations using its new "GreenJet" Dash 8 turboprop. The jet will help reduce fuel consumption and carbon emissions by up to 35 percent compared to the regional aircraft it replaces.

Once the Universal Hydrogen's technology is fully implemented, the Connect Airlines fleet is expected to operate with zero emissions. The two businesses will also collaborate to develop the first zero-emission regional aircraft in the U.S. in 2025.

"The U.S. is a laggard in its decarbonization efforts, and the U.S. aviation industry is no exception," said Paul Eremenko, co-founder and CEO of Universal Hydrogen. "That is why the bold step that Connect Airlines is making in being the first airline to commit to true zero-emissions operation in the relatively near term is so monumentally important."
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About the author: Florina Spînu
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Florina taught herself how to drive in a Daewoo Tico (a rebadged Suzuki Alto kei car) but her first "real car" was a VW Golf. When she’s not writing about cars, drones or aircraft, Florina likes to read anything related to space exploration and take pictures in the middle of nature.
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