GKN: H2FlyGHT programme a ‘full-systems solution’
After announcing a new collaborative project in GKN’s hydrogen systems portfolio this morning – the H2FlyGHT programme – “it’s a really exciting day for us today at Farnborough,” explained Max Brown, VP of engineering and technology at GKN.
Building on a number of GKN’s previous programmes over the last few years, H2FlyGHT represents “the next stage of the journey to deliver zero-emission, hydrogen-powered propulsion systems for sustainable flight,” continued Brown, elaborating that collaboration with key industrial partners and government continues to be key in unlocking success.
“In the context of H2FlyGHT, the UK government plays a key role in that,” Brown added. “They allow us to explore areas with a level of security in what we’re doing, and really enable us to push the boundaries of innovation”. With the government’s help, this programme also aims to “support some really strong intellectual property for the UK”.
The five-year programme (representing a £44 million investment) will take technologies developed in previous projects, scaling them up to flight-ready capability: “really taking our fuel cell technology, cryogenic electrical networks and cryogenic electrical motor, scaling that up to a 2MW-type application so we can really position it for the next generation of aircraft,” revealed Brown. By the mid 2030s, the technology should be mature enough to be employed on regional aircraft applications.
“No one solution is going to solve the [decarbonisation] problem,” concluded Brown, nevertheless adding that a hydrogen solution nevertheless represents an ideal route to zero-emission aviation – and one that will integrate with, and complement, existing GKN hydrogen initiatives.
