ZeroAvia secures €21.4 million EU grant to launch hydrogen-electric cargo aircraft in Norway

Credit: ZeroAvia

ZeroAvia has announced that its application to the EU Innovation Fund for a €21.4 million grant has been selected for grant agreement preparation. The funding will support the retrofit of 15 Cessna Caravan aircraft with ZeroAvia’s ZA600 hydrogen-electric engines and the development of airport hydrogen refuelling and storage infrastructure at 15 airports in Norway. Operations are planned to commence in 2028.

The zero-emission aircraft are expected to replace conventional kerosene-fuelled turboprops on cargo routes, achieving around a 95 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The project will establish the world’s largest network of zero-emission commercial flights, with air operators for the network to be announced in due course.

The ODIN project aims to validate both the technical performance and the economic case for hydrogen-electric aircraft in commercial operations, with a view to encouraging adoption in Norway, across the EU, and beyond. The project meets the objectives of the EU initiative Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) and has received the STEP Seal, a quality label awarded by the European Commission to promote investment in critical technologies.

ZeroAvia’s ZA600 powertrain uses fuel cells to generate electricity from hydrogen, producing only low-temperature water vapour as emissions. A prototype has already been flight tested, and ground testing of the final design is underway. Certification work is progressing with both the UK Civil Aviation Authority and the US Federal Aviation Administration.

Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO of ZeroAvia, said: “The EU Innovation Fund is notoriously competitive with applications needing to pass through rigorous assessment and demonstrate compelling evidence for near-term greenhouse gas reductions. This project will set a phenomenal example by introducing a scaled network of hydrogen electric aircraft operations, efficiently delivering vital goods to people and businesses across Norway without the typical associated environmental damage.”

The Innovation Fund, financed by EU Emissions Trading System revenues, is one of the world’s largest funding programmes for innovative low-carbon technologies, supporting projects with European added value and significant greenhouse gas reductions.

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