A system for wireless charging
electric planes and a project to create swappable battery packs to cut flight
turnaround times are two of 15 projects that have received funding as part of
the UK Government's Green Fuel, Green Skies competition.
The successful projects have won
a share of £700,000 to help bring forward innovative research and technology,
which can support UK airports in handling new types of electric and hydrogen
aircraft.
Transport secretary Grant Shapps said:
“Funding these revolutionary projects will help to slash carbon, create jobs
and get us closer to our goal of operating zero emission flights.”
Aviation minister Robert Courts said: “With COP26 around
the corner, we’re ramping up our efforts even further by funding the technology
that unlocks the flights of the future.”
ZeroAvia has also won funding from the competition for a
proposed liquid hydrogen refuelling system.
Val Miftakhov, CEO of
ZeroAvia, said: “In the future, we believe there will be a hydrogen-electric
engine in every aircraft as this is the only viable way to deliver truly zero
emission aircraft and to comprehensively tackle the industry’s growing climate
impact. When we deliver our first hydrogen-electric powertrains into service in
2024, operators need to be able to fuel their aircraft with low carbon
hydrogen, and today’s announcement is a big step towards that.”