The two companies stated it would come as the ‘world’s first’ fully certified, ‘truly green’, passenger aeroplane powered by hydrogen, with the end solution delivering emissions-free commercial travel, planned to take the skies in 2026.
Phase one of ‘Project Fresson’, first announced in 2021, is the conversion of a Britten-Norman Islander 9-seat aircraft from fossil fuel to gaseous hydrogen propulsion.
As part of CAeS’ multi-phase programme, there are further plans to develop a larger aircraft of up to 75 seats.
Read more: UK project aiming to deliver hydrogen-powered aircraft by 2022
The partnership comes due to the Mission Nex Gen Aircraft set out by Air New Zealand, a zero-emissions aircraft programme which has seen CAeS collaborate with three other companies.
Greg Foran, Air New Zealand Executive Officer, said, “Mission NextGen Aircraft is not about backing one horse. It’s about working with a range of leaders in zero emissions aircraft technology to help move the ecosystem along.”
Air New Zealand will commit to one or more of the partners and if successful, CAeS will carry out a commercial demonstration in 2026, also signing a letter of intent for an additional 20 aircrafts to fly the commercial demonstrator.
Paul Hutton, CAeS CEO, stated, “The airline is renowned in the industry for being a powerhouse in sustainability and given CAeS ambition to design and manufacture zero-emissions green hydrogen fuelled aircraft, our collective ambitions couldn’t be more aligned.”
CAeS recently joined up with Dronamics in a bid to integrate its hydrogen fuel cell technology into a long-range cargo drone, capable of carrying up to 350kg.
Read more: Cranfield Aerospace, Dronamics partner to develop hydrogen-powered drone with 2,500km range
A Successful Ecosystem for Green Hydrogen – Iceland
It is becoming ever clearer that the entire green hydrogen ecosystem requires alignment. Hydrogen’s potential, performance, and safety are proven. Green hydrogen is widely accepted as a core pathway to Net Zero, yet the key levers in the transition are not yet in-sync.
For these reasons, H2 View is launching An Ecosystem for Green Hydrogen, a two and a half day summit in Reykjavík, Iceland on February 28 to March 2, 2023, devoted to thought leadership, insights, and actionable takeaways for the green hydrogen ecosystem.
In a world full of distractions and technical overload, we need inspiring places to refresh our minds and bodies. The power of Iceland lies in its nature, culture, and energy. These elements serve as the perfect backdrop for a memorable and effective event at the world renowned Harpa Centre.
The summit promises to tackle all sides of the energy ecosystem, from wind and solar power requirements, through to additionality, water sustainability, electrolyser technologies, and the investment and policy climate. The 2.5 day event is split over six sessions, delegates will hear from speakers representing all strands of the hydrogen value chain in a bid to unravel key issues in the industry, and where it can make some headway.
You can find more information at h2-viewevents.com.