ULEMCo is participating in a £ multi-million hydrogen infrastructure project part-funded by the Department of Transport. Our involvement in the HyPRIME project is to use our vehicle and hydrogen integration experience in collaboration with project partners to produce a liquid hydrogen (LH2) version of our refuelling unit HyTANKa. Taking fuel to aircraft is an essential part of the supply chain for making hydrogen flight possible.
We are working alongside ZeroAvia, Birmingham Airport, GeoPura and Bristol Airport to design, build and test the mobile refuelling vehicle which will be capable of supporting hydrogen electric aircraft within standard commercial turnaround times.
In addition to the LH2 HyTANKa, ULEMCo will be utilising boil-off hydrogen to fuel a hydrogen aircraft tug (MATT) that uses our HyICE ™ hybrid drivetrain, and a hydrogen power generation unit to supply electrical power for other airport applications.
The HyPRIME work is one of several government-backed projects totalling over £7 million aiming to fuel the UK’s transition to zero-emission flights. The outcome of HyPRIME will support future decisions on hydrogen infrastructure deployment across the whole UK aviation sector.
Says Amanda Lyne, Managing Director: “This a great step for us in our plans to develop zero-emission solutions for airports, which give the flexibility and autonomy that is needed for practical operational environment of an airport.”
Tom Denton, head of sustainability at Birmingham Airport, said, “Hydrogen electric aircraft are progressing quickly, and airports need to understand how this fuel can be safely and efficiently integrated into daily operations. HyPRIME gives us the opportunity to test procedures and build the knowledge required to support future zero emission flights from Birmingham.”
