In a significant move towards progressing decarbonised aviation, H3 Dynamics has been contracted by Airbus UpNext for the supply of a customized airworthy 500 Kilowatt (0.5MW) hydrogen fuel cell as part of a demonstrator to replace the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) on an Airbus aircraft.
On conventional airliners, the APU is a supplementary engine that operates on standard jet fuel, and facilitates non-propulsive aircraft functions, including air conditioning and electrical power for onboard systems.
New design features and integration techniques will contribute to maturing operational parameters and will demonstrate the stable operation of a fuel cell. The Airbus UpNext demonstrator was announced at the Paris Airshow last year.
Unlike main power propulsion applications that require several megawatts of constant power and thus a significant amount of hydrogen, lower power non-propulsive solutions present a near term opportunity to support the decarbonization of operations both in-flight and on the ground.
H3 Dynamics is now providing a full line up of advanced hydrogen solutions across the aviation value chain: from 50kW to 2MW fuel cell systems addressing in-flight power and airport ground equipment, to multi-MW-scale on-site hydrogen production systems enabling e-fuel production and the start of hydrogen airport hubs.
H3 Dynamics has been building up its delivery capability in Toulouse, with plans to accelerate a dedicated production line for high performance solutions for the global aviation sector in both Europe and the MENA region.
About H3 Dynamics
H3 Dynamics is accelerating the world’s transition to zero-emission aviation by bridging the gap between hydrogen technologies and aerospace requirements. The company is an active contributor at EUROCAE Working Group 80 and Alliance for Zero Emission Aviation Working Group-4 in Brussels, as well as drafting fuel cell certification strategy for both EASA and FAA. The company offers a broad range of leading-edge upstream and downstream hydrogen solutions to a diverse range of OEM, Airports, and enterprise clients worldwide – from light aviation to CS25, as well as for e-VTOL, Airships and Unmanned System integration. The company is a recipient of the Monaco Hydrogen Prize 2023 in partnership with NEOM ENOWA, member of the Paris Air Mobility Alliance, and Aerospace Valley in Toulouse.
Featured image credited to H3 Dynamics
