Winners of latest £3 million zero emission flight competition revealed

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has today (29 September 2021) announced the winners of the latest £3 million competition, focused on making zero emission flights a reality. 

Winning projects include wireless charging for electric planes, swappable battery packs to keep flight turnover times to a minimum, and state-of-the-art fuelling tanks to refuel flights of the future safely and efficiently. 

The 15 successful projects have been awarded a share of over £700,000 to help bring forward innovative research and technology, which can support UK airports in handling new types of electric and hydrogen aircraft. 

Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary said: “As the world reopens from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential that we are investing in greener aviation as part of our transport decarbonisation agenda.

“Funding these revolutionary projects will help to slash carbon, create jobs and get us closer to our goal of operating zero emission flights.” 

Today’s funding forms part of the government’s commitment in the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, with a commitment of £3 million of funding to research into airport infrastructure for zero emission flights this year (2021).

“As an island nation, aviation is essential for our future growth and plans to build back better and greener from the COVID-19 pandemic,” commented Robert Courts, Aviation Minister. 

“With COP26 around the corner, we’re ramping up our efforts even further by funding the technology that unlocks the flights of the future.” 

Earlier this year (2021), the UK government set out its ambition to become world-leaders in sustainable aviation fuel production, launching the £15 million Green Fuel, Green Skies competition and publishing a consultation proposing to mandate SAF use in the UK from 2025. 

Val Miftakhov, CEO of ZeroAvia, said: “We are delighted to have been successful with the Zero Emission Flight Infrastructure project and to have the opportunity to show just how these projects are critical to the future of zero emission aviation.  

“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 (29 September 2021) announcement is a big step towards that.”

“Connected Places Catapult is delighted to welcome these 15 innovative projects onto the TRIG: Zero Emission Flight programme,” added Nicola Yates OBE, CEO of Connected Places Catapult. “The progress being made in this sector to enable sustainable air travel is exciting and an important step for the UK’s successful transition to net-zero.”

This funding is the latest in a string of initiatives aimed at reducing emissions from flying and consolidating the UK’s position as leaders in green aviation.

Earlier this year (2021), the UK government set out its ambition to become world-leaders in sustainable aviation fuel production, launching the £15 million Green Fuel, Green Skies competition and publishing a consultation proposing to mandate SAF use in the UK from 2025.

As part of the Prime Minister’s Ten Point Plan, the competition supports the early development of trailblazing UK facilities capable of generating over 70 per cent greenhouse gas emissions savings, on a lifecycle basis, by turning materials such as everyday waste into jet fuel.