ZeroAvia and Absolut Hydrogen Pave the Way for Air Travel with Liquid Hydrogen Refueling Infrastructure

  • 21-Apr-2023
  • Journalist: Jaideep

US: ZeroAvia and Absolut Hydrogen have come together to collaborate on exploring the potential for producing, storing, and refueling liquid Hydrogen (LH2) technologies for commercial aviation. In an airport setting, the partnership aims to construct and showcase H2 liquefaction and LH2 storage. The long-term goal is to explore technology developments, operate under concept of operations, standardize safety procedures, and facilitate larger-scale deployment of LH2 to aircraft- a significant step towards reducing Carbon emissions.

Absolut Hydrogen, a Grenoble-based subsidiary of Groupe Absolut, is recognized globally for driving innovation in LH2 systems dedicated to heavy-duty mobility across aeronautical, maritime, and land applications. Leveraging Groupe Absolut's extensive industry knowledge and expertise in complex cryogenic systems, Absolut Hydrogen now offers a comprehensive range of LH2 products. These include an entry-level small-scale H2 liquefaction system (< 50 kilogram/day), a Turbo-Brayton based H2 Liquefier capable of producing up to 100-kilograms per day, and a revolutionary 1-tonne/day H2 Liquefier based on the same cutting-edge technology.

ZeroAvia, the aviation company, is set to power its first certified powertrains for aircraft with compressed gaseous Hydrogen. These aircraft will have up to 19 seats. However, their larger project, ZA2000, which will have a 2- to 5.4-megawatt modular powertrain, will require liquid Hydrogen. By using this fuel, the volumetric energy density will improve, enabling ZeroAvia to support larger aircraft, allowing more passengers to travel for longer periods. With the recent announcement of its high-temperature fuel cell technology, ZeroAvia is further cementing its advantage in developing solutions for large regional turboprops and beyond.

Over the past few months, a significant focus was placed on developing in-house knowledge of LH2, alongside establishing partnerships critical to building a comprehensive ecosystem that can efficiently deliver LH2 fuel for larger aircraft at bigger airports. The success of the aviation industry's growth and sustainability is highly dependent on the zero-emission aviation movement. Hence, an association with ZeroAvia presents a unique opportunity to propel towards more sustainable aviation. Absolut Hydrogen's highly advanced H2 liquefiers enable the availability of LH2, which is considered the most advantageous state for aviation and heavy-duty mobility in general.

Related Deals