Engineers from the University of Sheffield AMRC are part of a new £17.5 million project to develop next generation fuel cell technology, aimed to provide a feasible solution for zero carbon emissions flight. 

Working in collaboration with ZeroAvia, a global leader in the development of hydrogen-electric propulsion systems for aircraft, the Advanced Fuel Cells for Aviation Decarbonisation (AFCAD) project will develop and define high temperature fuel cell systems to enable zero carbon emissions flight for regional aircraft. 

It will also pave the way to scale up the technology towards narrow-bodied aircraft - ultimately providing a significant contribution to tackling the world’s climate emergency.  

The project team secured £10.5m of UK government funding through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) strategic programme - with the rest of the funding coming from industrial partners. It is being delivered in partnership with the Department for Business and Trade, Innovate UK, and industry.  

The consortium, made up of the AMRC, ZeroAvia, the University of Kent and Coventry University, will work together to advance this crucial technology towards commercialisation. The research will centre on developing components and the full high temperature proton exchange membrane (HTPEM) fuel cell stacks and demonstrating previously unmatched levels of specific power and durability. 

James Hunt, future propulsion lead at the AMRC, said: “The decarbonisation of aviation is an extremely difficult challenge that industry is facing. ZeroAvia is a pioneer in the development of hydrogen-electric propulsion systems, so we were delighted when it asked the AMRC to join the AFCAD consortium. 

“The AMRC, as part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult network of research centres, is committed to helping companies industrialise their net zero systems and has a specific focus on developing solutions to the manufacturing challenges of hydrogen applications.

"Part of this solution will be delivered within our dedicated hydrogen electric propulsion systems (HEPS) testbed at our AMRC Cymru facility, where engineers will investigate different approaches towards optimising the key processing steps in the manufacturing of the fuel cell stack components and system.”

Lee Wheeler, future mobility lead, who will be overseeing the AFCAD activity at AMRC Cymru, added: “In designing an optimised production process and pilot line, we will de-risk the industrialisation of the ZeroAvia system to ensure that the HTPEM stack module can be assembled with zero defects at the rate and scale required by the aerospace sector - helping to anchor manufacturing in the UK and deliver zero emission flight.”

The AMRC is supporting ZeroAvia by addressing the manufacturing challenges for some of the key components in the fuel cell, such as the bi-polar plates, as well as researching the best way to assemble the stack. Each fuel cell can have upwards of 1,200 individual components which all need to be accurately positioned sequentially to ensure efficient operation of the stack. 

Pictured above: ZeroAvia's fuel cell stack that will be used to develop rate capable assemblues for, with the completed stacks aimed to go into its 2000 powertrain aircraft.

Val Miftakhov, chief executive officer for ZeroAvia, added that ATI has identified hydrogen as the likely fuel of the future for aviation and put fuel cells with higher specific power as a major priority on its technology roadmap. 

He added: “The award of this project recognises that ZeroAvia is best placed to develop this technology and that the UK can garner strong industrial advantage from establishing leadership in high temperature PEM fuel cells for aviation and beyond.”

AFCAD builds on the highly successful ATI-backed HyFlyer I and II projects completed by ZeroAvia, which delivered breakthrough first flights of hydrogen-electric aircraft and were transformative in establishing greater confidence in the potential for commercial, zero-emissions flights this decade. During HyFlyer II, ZeroAvia also demonstrated the largest HTPEM stack module for aviation, showing technology readiness for scaling fuel cells into large commercial aircraft. 

The new project will further develop this technology to unlock the market for large regional turboprops, regional jets and ultimately into the narrow-bodied aircraft segment, as well as developing the supporting UK supply chain and advancing the pathway for manufacturing.

Jonathan Reynolds, UK Government Business and Trade Secretary, said: “Our world-class aerospace sector added almost £40 billion to the economy last year, and by backing it to pioneer cutting-edge new technologies we’re delivering economic growth and supporting high-skilled jobs in every part of the UK.”

“It’s fitting that I’m launching this new support here at Farnborough Airshow, where the best of British innovation is showcased on the global stage, reinforcing our commitment to placing innovation and manufacturing at the heart of our industrial strategy.” 

The project, expected to run for three years, will develop the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) from TRL 3, which involves analytical and experimental critical function or characteristic proof-of-concept, to TRL 5, that looks at technology basic validation in a relevant environment - with planned entry into service for the HTPEM fuel cell by 2027.