New 'hydrogen plane factory' to open near Glasgow Airport
The site near Glasgow Airport will make fuel cells for hydrogen-powered aircraft, using energy that is stored after production from renewable sources.
California-based ZeroAvia is to build a major manufacturing facility for the production of its hydrogen-electric powertrain fuel cells at the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland, close to the airport, in Renfrewshire, creating 350 jobs.
The firm hopes an engine that can power a 20-seat plane will enter service next year.
The company is also developing the next generation of fuel cell aircraft engines with its ZA2000 for 40-80 seat aircraft.
It said that scaling to meet the power and operational requirements for these larger aircraft requires advanced fuel cells with higher power-to-weight ratio.
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The site has been backed by UK and Scottish governments. (Image: ZeroAvia) The high temperature fuel cells that ZeroAvia will manufacture in the Glasgow facility, expected to open in 2028, are said to be key to unlocking fuel cell propulsion for larger aircraft.
ZeroAvia said its Hydrogen Centre of Excellence will support the company in a range of manufacturing operations relating to powertrain production and testing and will also be the company's primary location for production of advanced high temperature fuel cell stacks and supporting systems.
With nearly 3,000 full engine and component orders agreed with airlines – corresponding to over $10 billion in future revenues - ZeroAvia said it is advancing its production operations to meet demand.
How the site would look. (Image: ZeroAvia) The new facility will work with ZeroAvia's Propulsion Center of Excellence in Washington State which is focusing primarily on electric motors and power electronics. The company also has plans to expand its research and development and aircraft testing centre at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire.
The project in Scotland, which is expected to unlock millions in private investment and support hundreds of jobs over the next few years, has been made possible by a range of funding including a £9 million grant from Scottish Enterprise.
This follows an equity investment of £20m from the Scottish National Investment Bank into ZeroAvia as part of the company's Series C funding, with the UK National Wealth Fund investing £32m as a cornerstone-level investor in round. The Series C round was led by Airbus, Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital and NEOM Investment Fund.
The UK Government awarded ZeroAvia and consortium partners £10.5m to develop the advanced fuel cells in 2024 via the Aerospace Technology Institute programme in conjunction with the Department for Business and Trade and Innovate UK. The UK Government has awarded ZeroAvia £18.5m total R&D funding since 2019 to develop their fuel cell and powertrain technology.
This support alongside more than $250m private investment has enabled ZeroAvia to make rapid progress in flying the world's first hydrogen-electric commercial scale aircraft in 2020, to more than doubling the power output to again fly the world's largest hydrogen-electric aircraft - a 19-seat Dornier in January 2023 - to manufacturing and shipping fuel cell systems to customers, and to securing significant regulatory traction for the certification of its first powertrains.
ZeroAvia founder Val Miftakhov said Scotland is well-placed in the development of hydrogen power. (Image: ZeroAvia) Val Miftakhov, founder and chief executive, ZeroAvia, said: 'Scotland has some unique advantages for ZeroAvia with strong aerospace and engineering skills, a burgeoning hydrogen sector and a clear aviation strategy with potential for early adoption of zero-emission flights. The aviation industry is on the cusp of the biggest transformation since the advent of the jet age, with entirely new propulsion systems set to power the next era of aviation – cleaner flights, better economics and better experiences for all.
'With this new facility, Scotland has a big role to play in driving this transformation. We welcome the grant award from Scottish Enterprise and the support of our equity investors that has enabled us to move into another phase of manufacturing readiness as we progress towards certification of our first engines.'
John Swinney, First Minister, and Ian Murray, Secretary of State for Scotland, are to speak at an event at Glasgow Airport for the launch of ZeroAvia's plans for its manufacturing facility at AMIDS.
Mr Swinney said: 'ZeroAvia's decision to establish a base in Scotland – creating 350 highly-skilled jobs in the process - is the perfect illustration of Scotland's growing reputation in the global transition to net zero.'
Mr Murray said that 'tens of millions of pounds of crucial investment from the UK Government is helping to develop the fuel cell technology that will be manufactured here in Scotland at this new facility'.
Adrian Gillespie, of Scottish Enterprise, said: 'It is fantastic that we've been able to attract ZeroAvia to Scotland, not only for the jobs they will be creating, but for the hugely important role they can play in ensuring Scotland maintains its reputation for fostering innovative green technologies.'V
Al Denholm, Chief Executive of Scottish National Investment Bank, said: 'Decarbonising aviation and developing our hydrogen industry are critical elements in our journey toward a net-zero economy. Having ZeroAvia's manufacturing base near Glasgow Airport will bring highly skilled jobs to the area, and we're particularly pleased to see the demand that already exists for this innovative technology.'
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