GKN Aerospace has joined the HyFIVE consortium to lead liquid hydrogen fuel system development for zero-emission aviation.

GKN Aerospace is partnering with Marshall, Parker Meggitt, University of Manchester, University of Bath, and Cardiff University in the consortium.

The £40 million programme comprises substantial investment from industry and government, and is supported by the UK Aerospace Technology Institute.

The HyFIVE consortium, led by Marshall, is poised to achieve significant milestones, including the development and testing of scalable liquid hydrogen fuel system technologies, culminating in a fully integrated hydrogen fuel system ground demonstration.

By harnessing the unique capabilities of each industry partner, including Marshall’s experience in fuel system design and integration and Parker Meggitt’s expertise in fuel system components and thermal management technologies, the consortium aims to address key technical, safety, certification, and industrialisation challenges associated with hydrogen fuel systems in aviation.

As the aviation industry seeks to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, hydrogen propulsion has emerged as a critical pathway for decarbonisation.

GKN Aerospace said it is committed to advancing foundational technologies through initiatives like HyFIVE, contributing to a sustainable future for global aviation while creating significant market opportunities for the UK.

Max Brown, VP Technology GKN Aerospace, said: “The HyFIVE liquid hydrogen fuel system programme will complement our existing world-leading hydrogen electric propulsion programme, H2GEAR. We have great respect for the fuel system capability Marshall and Parker bring to the table, and believe we now have a robust path to delivering the technology and supply chain required for hydrogen regional aircraft and beyond. This unique industry partnership, combined with the knowledge of leading academics, is a significant step towards a sustainable future for aviation.”Subscribe to the FINN weekly newsletter

You may also be interested in

Additive manufacturing holds potential to ‘transform’ aerospace design

airBaltic to explore liquid hydrogen propulsion with Fokker Next Gen

ESS technology to help decarbonise Schiphol