Photo: ZeroAvia
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) might be the most convenient option for cutting aviation-related emission levels, but it’s not as dazzling and thought-provoking as the innovative concepts based on hydrogen or battery-electric propulsion. The question is whether hydrogen aviation is a distant dream or a reliable alternative. A fresh European collaboration believes that it’s closer than we might think. Folks in Rotterdam, get ready for a different kind of take off!
“Some first passengers on zero-emission flights in the world could be flying from Rotterdam” – this is the bold statement that Arnab Chatterjee, VP Infrastructure at ZeroAvia is making, in relation to a thrilling new collaboration that’s just been launched.
In just three years, pioneering aircraft fueled by hydrogen, and carrying passengers on board, could be taking off from the Rotterdam The Hague Airport. Now, that’s what I’d call a memorable experience. Those people would be part of a historic endeavor, and a dream come true.
Three big names are making it happen. ZeroAvia is the proud creator of the hydrogen-electric ZA600 engine. Rotterdam The Hague Airport, Netherland’s second-city airport, will provide operational and infrastructure support. Shell will be supplying the gaseous hydrogen, and also help with the dedicated infrastructure.
Here’s how things are about to go down. These three mighty partners are rolling up their sleeves and putting together a so-called concept of operations. That’s no easy task, as you can imagine. It starts with things such as a dedicated on-the-ground infrastructure and storage system, and will end with a state-of-the-art airport ecosystem.
From there, they’ll move to the next step. By 2024, we’ll already hear of the first demonstration flights from this airport in the Netherlands. They’ll stick to a European destination, no further than 250 miles (402 km) away from Rotterdam.
Finally, by 2025, Rotterdam would launch the first commercial passenger flights carried out by hydrogen-electric airliners.
It’s a tight deadline for sure. But one of the factors that support it is the fact that we’re not talking about a new type of aircraft, designed from scratch. ZeroAvia’s ZA600 can be fitted onto existing aircraft.
This aviation startup that’s based both in the UK and the US has been working on hydrogen-electric powertrains for years, and has completed its breakthrough flight earlier this year. A 19-seat Dornier 228 twin-engine retrofitted with a full-size hydrogen-electric powertrain, successfully flew for ten minutes, after taking off from the Cotswold Airport.
A 9-to-19 passenger aircraft with a 300-mile (483 km) range, powered by hydrogen, was ZeroAvia’s first big dream. And it looks like it will be coming to life at Rotterdam. What’s next in line? Something even bigger - a 40-to-80 seat airliner operating with zero emissions, to end the decade in full glory.
In just three years, pioneering aircraft fueled by hydrogen, and carrying passengers on board, could be taking off from the Rotterdam The Hague Airport. Now, that’s what I’d call a memorable experience. Those people would be part of a historic endeavor, and a dream come true.
Three big names are making it happen. ZeroAvia is the proud creator of the hydrogen-electric ZA600 engine. Rotterdam The Hague Airport, Netherland’s second-city airport, will provide operational and infrastructure support. Shell will be supplying the gaseous hydrogen, and also help with the dedicated infrastructure.
Here’s how things are about to go down. These three mighty partners are rolling up their sleeves and putting together a so-called concept of operations. That’s no easy task, as you can imagine. It starts with things such as a dedicated on-the-ground infrastructure and storage system, and will end with a state-of-the-art airport ecosystem.
From there, they’ll move to the next step. By 2024, we’ll already hear of the first demonstration flights from this airport in the Netherlands. They’ll stick to a European destination, no further than 250 miles (402 km) away from Rotterdam.
Finally, by 2025, Rotterdam would launch the first commercial passenger flights carried out by hydrogen-electric airliners.
It’s a tight deadline for sure. But one of the factors that support it is the fact that we’re not talking about a new type of aircraft, designed from scratch. ZeroAvia’s ZA600 can be fitted onto existing aircraft.
This aviation startup that’s based both in the UK and the US has been working on hydrogen-electric powertrains for years, and has completed its breakthrough flight earlier this year. A 19-seat Dornier 228 twin-engine retrofitted with a full-size hydrogen-electric powertrain, successfully flew for ten minutes, after taking off from the Cotswold Airport.
A 9-to-19 passenger aircraft with a 300-mile (483 km) range, powered by hydrogen, was ZeroAvia’s first big dream. And it looks like it will be coming to life at Rotterdam. What’s next in line? Something even bigger - a 40-to-80 seat airliner operating with zero emissions, to end the decade in full glory.
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