Scotland’s Loganair is charting a new, hydrogen-powered course for sustainable aviation, partnering with ZeroAvia to develop new, zero-emissions offerings that could see the airline’s 40-80 passenger capacity aircraft operate emission-free on regional routes across the UK and Europe.
ZeroAvia seems to be spending the $150M it raised from Airbus and American Airlines in Q4 of last year well, advancing certification for its “ZA600” 600 kW hydrogen fuel cell powertrain for 10-20 seat aircraft with the UK’s CAA. At the same time, ZeroAvia is developing a second, more powerful modular engine called ZA2000 intended for use 40-80 seat aircraft like the ATR 42 and 72 — which Loganair owns more than twenty of.
“The recent commitments made by ZeroAvia to bring their hydrogen fuel-cell manufacturing centre to Glasgow, and the strong engagement between our senior teams, has made this next step entirely possible and logical,” explains Luke Farajallah, CEO of Loganair. “The future of sustainable flight will rely on companies like ZeroAvia and Loganair to be the pioneers of new technology, and we see the work being undertaken by Val and the team as being incredibly inspiring and realistic when set against our own work and ambitious targets in this space. We truly believe the Loganair fleet and network to be the perfect airline/geography combination when considering the ZeroAvia product suite and we look forward to working together to provide a greener future.”
ZeroAvia ZA2000 v. ICE option
| ZA2000 | Large turboprop engine | |
| Propulsion system type | Fuel Cell and Electric Motor | Internal combustion |
| Shaft horsepower, kW | 2–5 MW | 2–4 MW |
| Overall system efficiency | 45–60%1 | PW127 is >20% above 40% PP, otherwise <30%2 |
| Maintenance overhaul interval | TBC | TBC |
| Fuel consumption hour/kg/eng | 60–70 | 320–350 |
| Direct CO2 emissions per hour3 | Nil | 1000–1100 kg |
| NOx and other emissions per ho3 | Nil | PW127F @ MCR, 2.2gCO/kg, 0gUHC/kg, 15.6gNOx/kg4 |
| Contrails3 | 60–80% reduction | No mitigation |
What ZeroAvia calls “hydrogen-electric aircraft engines” might be more familiar to Electrek readers as “HFCEVs in the sky,” which use hydrogen (in the case of ZeroAvia, really cold hydrogen) in fuel cells to generate electricity that powers electric motors turning propellers. And, with regional turboprop aircraft operating below typical contrail formation, the company says its powertrain’s in-flight emissions are, “effectively zero.”
More importantly to airlines like Loganair, American, and aviation startup EcoJet, however, are the potential cost-savings involved.
Importantly, these novel engines promise cost reductions for airlines. The substantially lower maintenance needs of hydrogen-electric engines will mean a decrease in maintenance and downtime for an airline’s fleet, with hydrogen fuel also projected to be significantly more cost effective than kerosene over time.
ZEROAVIA
With the cost and relative dirtiness of hydrogen making it “impossible” for it to be taken seriously as a fuel for sustainable ground-based transportation, it remains to be seen if either H or Loganair will have better luck in the skies — especially as more and more hydrogen projects stall in just about every industry and the big energy companies seem to be regrouping around EVs.
As such, you won’t find an “Electrek’s Take” section on this one. All the same, we’d love to hear what you think about hydrogen’s prospects as an avgas alternative in the comments.
SOURCE | IMAGES: ZeroAvia.
If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
