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Hydrogen fuel cells can extend eVTOL range by overcoming battery weight limits. Image Credit: Intelligent Energy Limited

Intelligent Energy (IE), the UK’s leading hydrogen fuel cell manufacturer, has joined the Hydrogen in Aviation Alliance (HIA), to help the UK to seize its opportunity to be a world leader in hydrogen flight.

The alliance brings together companies from across the aviation sector, including Airbus, Bristol Airport, easyJet, GKN Aerospace and Rolls-Royce, to help align the technology, infrastructure and regulation needed to make commercial hydrogen flight an everyday reality.

For Intelligent Energy, the move builds on more than a decade of work in aviation. The company worked with Boeing on the world’s first manned fuel cell flight in 2008 and is now developing a 300 kW modular fuel cell system that can be packaged into high power, megawatt-class (MW) systems for regional aircraft.

Fuel cells have clear advantages over other zero emission aerospace technologies in weight, range, fuel efficiency and zero-emission operation. Intelligent Energy has developed patented technology that simply addresses the key challenge for the industry: the size of the cooling system. As well as using smaller cooling systems, IE’s technology is lightweight and can respond rapidly to changing flight loads.

To support that work, the company has built a 1 MW test center at an 85 MW wind and solar park in Northamptonshire. The park’s on-site renewables generate up to 140 MW of green energy per hour, which is converted into green hydrogen and used directly to test Intelligent Energy’s fuel cell systems.

The economic upside of hydrogen in this sector is significant. The Department for Transport’s Jet Zero Strategy states that rapid investment in hydrogen aviation could help the UK secure up to 60,000 new jobs by 2050. Green Alliance’s 2025 report, Flying Start, estimates that the sector could contribute up to ￡37 billion in gross value added to the UK economy by the same date.

Intelligent Energy also sees strong potential for hydrogen across airport operations, from back-up power to tow tractors and other airside vehicles. Recent projects, including its collaboration with Tajima Motor Corporation in Japan on a fuel cell-powered airside vehicle, demonstrate how hydrogen can support aviation both on the ground and in the air.

Greg Harris, Chief Commercial Officer at Intelligent Energy, said: “Hydrogen has a clear role in the future of aviation, both in the air and on the ground, and the UK is well placed to lead. At Intelligent Energy, we are focused on delivering zero-emission fuel cell systems that meet this growing demand, while addressing the challenges of weight, size and efficiency.

“Joining the Hydrogen in Aviation Alliance strengthens our ability to align technology, infrastructure and regulation, accelerating the adoption of hydrogen-powered flight.”

Source: Intelligent Energy Limited