Liquid hydrogen refueling looks to lift off at Stockton Airport
Feb. 26—STOCKTON — A zero-emission pioneer in the aviation industry will establish a research and development facility in Stockton focused on liquid hydrogen refueling.
The Stockton Metropolitan Airport recently announced that ZeroAvia will take up digs at the transportation hub in the coming months, and design, build and test a first-of-a-kind rapid liquid hydrogen refueling vehicles for aviation and other heavy-duty applications.
"The arrival of ZeroAvia at SCK is a positive step forward for our airport and the entire Stockton region," airport director Richard Sokol said. "As we look toward the future of aviation, we recognize the importance of supporting and collaborating with companies that are making tangible strides in green energy. ZeroAvia's work will contribute to a more sustainable transportation industry, and we look forward to supporting their work here."
The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors approved ZeroAvia's lease to move into the airport during its Feb. 11 meeting.
According to the meeting's agenda, the board approved a three-year lease with the company for office space in the airport's terminal building. The company will move in April 1.
In addition, supervisors approved a three-year ground lease with the company to improve land and construct a new 3,600 square foot hangar with office space.
ZeroAvia will pay $321,123 in rent for both spaces, according to the agenda.
The company has flown multiple testbed aircraft retrofitted with hydrogen and electric powertrains, including in California, and recently reached a Federal Aviation Administration milestone to build a 600-kilowatt electric propulsion system.
"SCK provides us with an excellent environment to continue our work on liquid hydrogen refueling systems for hydrogen aircraft in California," CEO Val Miftakhov said. "Along with high temperature fuel cells and advanced electric motors, liquid hydrogen systems are a critical building block for scaling hydrogen-electric engines into ever larger aircraft. We are leading the innovation in all three areas to deliver a clean future of flight, and our work in Stockton will be a key part of realizing that mission."
For more information about the program, flights, and other activities at the airport, visit www.FlyStockton.com.
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