PowerCell to develop aviation fuel cells

PowerCell is developing the next generation of fuel cells for aviation as part of the EU’s Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking. The Swedish specialist has joined the ‘Newborn’ project, which aims to develop a megawatt-class fuel cell propulsion system for aircraft.

Project Newborn is one of a total of 20 projects in the Clean Aviation Joint Undertaking, which has a budget of over 700 million euros from the EU. PowerCell will develop a new 300 kW product platform for the Newborn project. Under the project, PowerCell will bring its fuel cell technology onboard and develop a new 300 kW product platform for aviation.

“I am excited that PowerCell has joined the Newborn project,” says Lisa Kylhammar, SVP Engineering at PowerCell Sweden AB. “I am convinced that the collaboration within the project between our leading fuel cell engineers and experts from the aviation industry will allow us to challenge the limits of how light and energy dense stacks can be produced.”

The Swedish company has also recently signed a contract with ZeroAvia for deliveries of fuel cell stacks for aircraft. The deal is potentially valued up to SEK 1.51 billion and is conditioned on ZeroAvia obtaining the necessary certifications. For their part of the deal, PowerCell has committed to delivering a total of 0.5 GW fuel cells comprising of 300 kW superstack modules based on the industrialized 100 kW fuel cell stack. ZeroAvia will then use the fuel stacks to manufacture a 600 kW, low-temperature, hydrogen-electric powertrain for the certified 19-seat, fuel cell-powered commercial aircraft.

“We are proud of this serial delivery deal which shows that the demanding aviation industry, which is leading the development of hydrogen electric applications, recognizes our positioning and offering ’Industrialized Innovation’ as truly value-creating,” says Richard Berkling, CEO of PowerCell. Val Miftakhov, founder and CEO of ZeroAvia, added: “We are addressing a multi-billion dollar market for converting aircraft to zero-emission engines, and we need the surety of high quality LTPEM fuel cell stacks in our supply chain to meet that opportunity. This deal gives us that certainty from a provider that has formed a big part of our early designs and testing towards a certifiable system.”

powercellgroup.com, powercellgroup.com (ZeroAvia)