We had reported in september 2021 that, Universal Hydrogen is going to make a presence in Europe, that to in Toulouse by leasing the Hangar B16 at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport.
Universal Hydrogen , has now announced the inauguration of its engineering design center and European headquarters in Toulouse, France.Located in the historic Hangar B16 at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport , the event was attended by industry leaders and dignitaries.
Universal Hydrogen also debuted its newly-liveried ATR 72 test aircraft used for developing the hydrogen retrofit kit and hydrogen module operational handling experiments.
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“Toulouse is the cradle of the European aerospace industry and has been an essential element of our talent and partner strategy,” said Paul Eremenko, co-founder and CEO of Universal Hydrogen. “We’re eager to showcase our progress toward decarbonizing aviation.”
Additionally, the opening event highlighted Universal Hydrogen’s liquid hydrogen modular capsule technology as well as the company’s renovation of the historic B16 hangar.
The liquid hydrogen capsule development is one of the key focus areas for the Toulouse team and has exceeded key performance targets in latest full-scale prototype testing.
Hangar B16 was originally built in the 1940s and was first used as a civil hangar for aircraft maintenance before being occupied by Airbus during the development of the Guppy and the Caravelle.
After the opening of today’s Toulouse-Blagnac Airport in 1953, the hangar was modified, elevated, and divided into two separate facilities in the 1960s. Today, it remains one the most historic and storied buildings on the airport. Universal Hydrogen honors this rich legacy by making B16 the crucible of a new era of zero-carbon aviation.
Universal Hydrogen's first product is a 'conversion kit' for existing regional aircraft , starting with the ATR72 and the De Havilland Canada Dash-8, to fly on hydrogen. The modification consists of a fuel cell electric powertrain that replaces the existing turboprop engines.
To feed the powertrains, the modification also includes, in the rear of the fuselage, their proprietary, lightweight, modular hydrogen capsules that are transported from green hydrogen production sites to the airport and loaded directly into the aircraft using the existing intermodal freight network and cargo handling equipment.
By providing both an aircraft conversion solution for the existing fleet and a fuel services offering directly to regional airlines , they expect to be commercially active with zero emissions by 2025 and in cargo service shortly thereafter.
Universal Hydrogen also claims to be backed by many Silicon Valley heavyweights, so, they are financially well supported. Take a look on the list of Investors on this debudant ATR72 aircraft fuselage.
Universal Hydrogen : Our investor team includes a collection of Silicon Valley heavyweights, deep-pocketed financials, and value-chain strategics.
“The EU has taken a leading role in developing hydrogen as a near-term decarbonization option for transport applications, including aviation,” said Pierre Farjounel, General Manager Europe of Universal Hydrogen."
“This is one of the main reasons we chose to have a significant EU footprint for Universal Hydrogen and we are keen to leverage Toulouse’s historical role as a leader in aerospace innovation to position the region as a leading hub in climate tech.”
“The Occitanie Region has always been a pioneer in aviation. More than ever, we want to pave the way for zero-emission flight and place sustainability at the heart of the industry,” said Occitanie Region president Carole Delga.
“We’ve been committed since 2018 to developing hydrogen technologies in the Region and we are delighted to welcome in Occitanie, Universal Hydrogen, one of the leading players in the decarbonisation of aviation.”
Universal Hydrogen is making hydrogen-powered commercial flight a near-term reality. The company takes a flexible, scalable, and capital-light approach to hydrogen logistics by transporting it in modular capsules over the existing freight network from green production sites directly to the airplane anywhere in the world.
Picture Credit : JetBlue Ventures , Universal Hydrogen .
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