French firm teams up with JetZero on hydrogen-powered flight
The move by SHZ Advanced Technologies is likely to rekindle a debate over the potential for zero-emission flight, six months after Europe's Airbus put the brakes on plans to develop the world's first hydrogen-powered airliner.
California-based JetZero aims to challenge the traditional duopoly of Airbus and Boeing by developing a so-called blended wing-body aircraft, which it claims will be able to cut fuel consumption — and therefore carbon emissions — in half.
JetZero and SHZ now plan to work together under a Nasa research programme to design systems capable of storing and distributing liquid hydrogen fuel, which could eliminate carbon emissions altogether and evolve into a variant of JetZero's Z4.
Hydrogen is prized for its carbon-free emissions and high energy related to mass, which makes it lighter than normal fuel. However, it also takes up much more volume and must be cooled to -253°C, making storage a significant challenge.
JetZero's blended wing-body design features a V-shaped fuselage that acts as a wing and reduces friction in the air, rather than the familiar wings and cylindrical fuselage.
'Due to the wider fuselage, the airframe is far more compatible with (liquid hydrogen) fuel tanks without sacrificing passenger seating, as a 'tube and wing' aeroplane would,' SHZ Advanced Technologies said on Wednesday.
Airbus said in February it was slowing down efforts to produce a hydrogen-powered regional plane and dropped a target date of 2035, blaming a lack of supporting infrastructure.
Boeing, by contrast, has been cool on the commercial viability of hydrogen flight altogether.
The concept of a blended wing-body design has been around since the 1940s and led to the US B-2 bomber, as well as the X-48 research project between Boeing and Nasa about 18 years ago.
JetZero is revisiting such designs as the aviation industry struggles to meet a target of net-zero emissions by 2050.
Airbus has argued that combining such radical changes to the shape of a plane with an entirely new propulsion system would be too ambitious, and is focusing instead on hydrogen-based fuel cells inside a normal tubular aircraft configuration.
But SHZ Advanced Technologies' co-founder Eric Schulz — a former senior executive at Rolls-Royce and Airbus — said JetZero would approach the task in two phases with the initial focus on a conventionally powered all-wing plane. Any hydrogen-based variant would come in a second step, he told Reuters.
The French firm says it has developed hydrogen tanks that save space by avoiding the usual cylindrical shape needed for pressurised vessels and can fit more easily into the flowing contours of the Z4's fuselage.
JetZero, whose backers include United Airlines, said in June it was on track to fly a full-scale prototype of the revolutionary 250-passenger aeroplane in 2027.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TimesLIVE
2 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
FIA announces tender for new WRC promoter
Motorsport's governing body announced on Thursday a tender process to replace Red Bull and German investment company KW25 as commercial rights holders of the World Rally Championship (WRC). The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said JPMorgan would act as financial adviser to Red Bull and KW25, who jointly own Munich-based WRC Promoter GmbH — the commercial arm responsible for media, sponsorship rights, and television production. The promoter, which also oversees the European Rally Championship, took over the WRC rights in 2013 and still had seven years remaining on the contract, according to sources. Reuters reported a year ago that the owners were preparing a potential sale with a target valuation of up to €500m (R10.3bn). The WRC has been in existence since 1973 and this year features 14 rounds on different continents with the showcase Monte Carlo Rally opening the season in January. 'The tender process for the commercial rights holder is a big opportunity for a new enterprise to take the championship into its next chapter with renewed energy and investment,' said the FIA's deputy president for sport Malcolm Wilson. 'We will work with Red Bull and KW25 to find the best fit for this important role.' The FIA said the championship had surged in popularity with a cumulative television audience of 1.3-billion and more than 4-million on-site visitors in 2024, with huge further growth potential. Paraguay makes its debut hosting a round of the championship this weekend and the sport is looking into a future round in the US. 'I am confident that, together with the right partner, we can take the championship to the next level, preserve its proud heritage, and grow its global reach for generations of fans to come,' said FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
TimesLIVE
3 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
French firm teams up with JetZero on hydrogen-powered flight
A French technology start-up unveiled plans on Wednesday to work with clean-aircraft venture JetZero to explore a potential hydrogen-powered variant of its futuristic all-wing design. The move by SHZ Advanced Technologies is likely to rekindle a debate over the potential for zero-emission flight, six months after Europe's Airbus put the brakes on plans to develop the world's first hydrogen-powered airliner. California-based JetZero aims to challenge the traditional duopoly of Airbus and Boeing by developing a so-called blended wing-body aircraft, which it claims will be able to cut fuel consumption — and therefore carbon emissions — in half. JetZero and SHZ now plan to work together under a Nasa research programme to design systems capable of storing and distributing liquid hydrogen fuel, which could eliminate carbon emissions altogether and evolve into a variant of JetZero's Z4. Hydrogen is prized for its carbon-free emissions and high energy related to mass, which makes it lighter than normal fuel. However, it also takes up much more volume and must be cooled to -253°C, making storage a significant challenge. JetZero's blended wing-body design features a V-shaped fuselage that acts as a wing and reduces friction in the air, rather than the familiar wings and cylindrical fuselage. 'Due to the wider fuselage, the airframe is far more compatible with (liquid hydrogen) fuel tanks without sacrificing passenger seating, as a 'tube and wing' aeroplane would,' SHZ Advanced Technologies said on Wednesday. Airbus said in February it was slowing down efforts to produce a hydrogen-powered regional plane and dropped a target date of 2035, blaming a lack of supporting infrastructure. Boeing, by contrast, has been cool on the commercial viability of hydrogen flight altogether. The concept of a blended wing-body design has been around since the 1940s and led to the US B-2 bomber, as well as the X-48 research project between Boeing and Nasa about 18 years ago. JetZero is revisiting such designs as the aviation industry struggles to meet a target of net-zero emissions by 2050. Airbus has argued that combining such radical changes to the shape of a plane with an entirely new propulsion system would be too ambitious, and is focusing instead on hydrogen-based fuel cells inside a normal tubular aircraft configuration. But SHZ Advanced Technologies' co-founder Eric Schulz — a former senior executive at Rolls-Royce and Airbus — said JetZero would approach the task in two phases with the initial focus on a conventionally powered all-wing plane. Any hydrogen-based variant would come in a second step, he told Reuters. The French firm says it has developed hydrogen tanks that save space by avoiding the usual cylindrical shape needed for pressurised vessels and can fit more easily into the flowing contours of the Z4's fuselage. JetZero, whose backers include United Airlines, said in June it was on track to fly a full-scale prototype of the revolutionary 250-passenger aeroplane in 2027.
IOL News
5 hours ago
- IOL News
South Africa's building plans value falls 3% in first half of 2025: key insights and implications
The Hull Street housing project is earmarked to be completed in October this year. This is according to the Selected building statistics of the private sector as reported by local government institutions published by Statistics South Africa(Stats SA) on Thursday afternoon. The value of building plans passed (at current prices) decreased by 3.0% (-R1 445,6 million) during the first half of 2025 compared with the first half of 2024. It also showed that decreases were reported for residential buildings (-R1 546,0 million) and non-residential buildings (-R1 433,8 million). An increase was reported for additions and alterations (R1 534,2 million). This statistical release contains information derived from the building statistics survey covering a sample of local government institutions involved in the approval of building plans and in the final inspection of buildings completed for the private sector. The value of buildings reported as completed (at current prices) increased by 3.1% (R693,2 million) during the first half of 2025 compared with the first half of 2024. In this regard, increases were reported for residential buildings (R533,5 million) and non-residential buildings (R461,8 million). However, a decrease was reported for additions and alterations (-R302,2 million). The July 2025 Preferred Supplier and Competitor Survey (PSS) report released earlier this month highlighted delays due to late payments, political interference, community disruptions, and a shortage of skilled project managers, especially in provinces like KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and the Free State. It provides insights into construction activity and material supplier dynamics across South Africa. It is based on a sample of 13 projects worth approximately R1.2 billion, mostly awarded late last year, with a focus on education, housing, and road infrastructure. The report tracks the Market Exposure Rate (MER) of construction material suppliers, gauging their participation based on project value. It showed that construction material prices remained relatively stable, with no major price hikes reported, though G1 stone remains in short supply. The use of imported cement (notably Simba Cement from Vietnam) is said to be increasing, particularly in KZN. Last month, Trading Economics said the value of building plans approved in South Africa dropped by 13.3% year-on-year to R 7,496 million in June 2025, following a 13.2% jump in the prior month. It said the decline was largely driven by the non-residential segment, which dropped 48.6% compared with a 4% fall previously. Additions and alterations had fallen slightly by 0.1% versus a 52.1% increase in May, while residential approvals rose 2.4%, down from 3.4% then. Last week, Industry Insight, which provides project lead information to the construction industry, said that in July, the local civil tender market showed its first significant recovery in over a year, with estimated values surging 53 percent year-on-year to R8.2 billion after 14 months of steep declines. It said Mpumalanga led with R1.6 billion, up 147 percent, followed by strong gains in Gauteng, Northern Cape, and Western Cape.
