24-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Hydrogen aircraft firm backed by £50m government funding
I had an exclusive interview with Val Miftakhov in Edinburgh in December 2019, which of course was shortly before the outbreak of Covid, when his team was preparing for the world's largest hydrogen-fuelled zero emission aircraft - flying without any fossil fuel support – which was to be tested in Scotland, at that time with the target of the first commercial flights in three years.
How the site would look. (Image: ZeroAvia) The test flight would be 250-300 nautical mile round flight from the Orkney Islands.
At that stage, Mr Miftakhov said the record-breaking flight would create the first opportunity for commercialisation of zero emission flight. Then the pandemic hit.
However, his firm, California-based ZeroAvia, managed to make the groundbreaking flight. Despite the challenges presented by the lockdown and through careful management, the flight was able to take off, but from its site in England at Cranfield University for the UK's "first commercial-scale electric-powered flight" in June 2020.
Mr Miftakhov is a greentech entrepreneur and founder of eMotorWerks, he has a PhD in Physics from Princeton University and a master's in Physics from Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and is a two-times winner of Russian nationwide physics competitions.
Val Miftakhov, founder and chief executive of 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.' (Image: ZeroAvia) The new site at Glasgow Airport announced this week will make fuel cells for hydrogen-powered aircraft, using energy that is stored after production from renewable sources.
ZeroAvia plans to build a major manufacturing facility for the production of its hydrogen-electric 'powertrain' fuel cells at the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland in Renfrewshire, which would create 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.
Mr Miftakhov on a test flight. (Image: ZeroAvia) 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.
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.
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The project in Scotland is backed by funding including a £9 million grant from Scottish Enterprise, and the firm has had 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, with the Series C round was led by Airbus, Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital and NEOM Investment Fund.
The UK Government has awarded ZeroAvia £18.5m total research and development funding since 2019 to develop fuel cell and powertrain technology.
The firm said this support alongside more than $250m private investment has enabled it to make rapid progress after the first milestone of 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 - manufacturing and shipping fuel cell systems to customers, and to securing significant regulatory traction for the certification of its first powertrains".
Mr Miftakhov 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."
Glasgow-based Loganair has said it is in a partnership to progress hydrogen fuel operations from its Orkney base to the Scottish mainland in a move that could mean commercial hydrogen flights in five years.
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"Making aviation sustainable is crucial to a successful green economy and Scottish Enterprise is fully committed to backing ambitious companies with innovative ideas.
"ZeroAvia's decision to come to Scotland is a real boost to our energy transition leadership, as well as being a further example of why Scotland is such a great place for inward investment."
Kam Jandu, chief executive of AGS Airports, said: "Hydrogen is becoming an increasingly viable option for regional and short-haul aircraft, so it is fantastic to see ZeroAvia choose Glasgow Airport as the location for its manufacturing base.
"As a regional airport group that serves the Highlands and Islands, as well as the Channel Islands from Southampton, AGS Airports is the perfect testbed for hydrogen powered flight. The Glasgow City Region has a critical mass of companies and skills, together with a vibrant academic and advanced manufacturing landscape to shape the sustainable future of aviation. ZeroAvia clearly recognises the benefits of locating its new facility here and we look forward to working with them to make zero emission flight a reality."
