Swiss startup Destinus, a developer of a hypersonic green hydrogen-fueled aircraft, has been chosen by the Spanish government to participate in a €12 million initiative to advance the use of hydrogen in aviation. Zesst is also relying on hydrogen for its 7-seater boat. The partnership with Carbagas will accelerate the development, leading to pilot tests on Lake Geneva.
In June 2022, Destinus and Spanish engine manufacturer ITP Aero agreed to jointly develop a hydrogen engine test facility and showcase their research in hydrogen combustion with the direct support and collaboration of Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial (INTA). The Spanish Ministry of Science's program agency, Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico e Industrial (CDTI), has selected this project as a strategic initiative under its Plan de Tecnologías Aeronáuticas (PTA) to advance the use of hydrogen in aviation. The initiative also involves companies and technology centres, as well as Spanish universities.
With plans to initiate the first tests by 2025, the project will receive a grant of €12 million to construct a test facility near Madrid for air-breathing hydrogen engines. Destinus will help design and iterate the facility through further testing. A second grant funds research into aspects of liquid hydrogen-powered propulsion with a view to testing innovative propulsion system solutions for future supersonic hydrogen-powered aircraft. The second grant project has an overall investment of €15 million.
Zesst partners with Air Liquide Group to advance hydrogen-fueled boats
ZESST, an EPFL start-up dedicated to enabling zero-emission maritime transport, is developing a 7-seater hydrogen-fueled boat called ZESST Precursor, which, thanks to hydrogen fuel, only emits water vapour. The startup has already signed letters of intent and business agreements with key actors in the green energy and maritime transport industries across the globe.
The startup has partnered with Carbagas, the Swiss entity of Air Liquide Group, a world leader in industrial and medical gases, to develop a pilot hydrogen passenger boat on Lake Geneva. Air Liquide supports the ZESST Precursor boat development, and once developed will ensure reliable hydrogen supply, which also includes a mobile Hydrogen Refueling Station that ZESST will rent from Air Liquide. The startup plans to be operational before the end of 2023 and will shuttle between Lausanne (Switzerland) and Thonon-les-Bains (France).
(Press release/RAN)
Please login or sign up to comment.
Commenting guidelines