Commercial aviation will become more environmentally friendly thanks to Intelligent Energy
The problem of emissions produced by air transport is becoming increasingly acute in relation to climate goals. As with cars, the optimal solution is to switch to electric aircraft. However, Intelligent Energy has demonstrated that commercial aviation can also develop in alternative ways.
Intelligent Energy, a UK company, offers aircraft that use hydrogen. Its technology has attracted investor interest, as evidenced by a £17 million grant. IE has received funding from the Aerospace Technology Institute and the Department for Business and Trade. In addition to funding for technological development, the company received £7.1 million to support its testing center. This investment will enable the startup to begin mass-producing green aircraft by 2030. Additionally, the company is working on obtaining certification for its aircraft.
Intelligent Energy’s technology has many advantages:
- The project will create 1,600 jobs.
- The green aviation market is estimated at £19.6 billion.
- Global demand for environmentally friendly air transport is growing rapidly.
The aviation industry accounts for approximately 2-3% of global carbon dioxide emissions. For cars, electric traction is the optimal solution for reducing CO2 emissions. However, batteries are too heavy and have limited charge capacity for aircraft. The Intelligent Energy team has taken on the challenge of solving this problem. The startup offers powerful and lightweight hydrogen fuel cells. The IE-FLIGHT 300 is specifically designed for commercial aviation. These cells have a power output of 300 kW, enabling carbon-free flights.
Difference from competitors
It is worth noting that Intelligent Energy is not the first project to develop the hydrogen aviation sector. Its competitors include ZeroAvia and Universal Hydrogen. Additionally, Airbus is engaged in similar developments. However, all of these companies are in the early stages of transitioning to zero emissions. IE, on the other hand, has presented a solution that is practically ready for implementation. The startup is supported by investors, which speaks to the viability of its technology.
Furthermore, it addresses a problem that its competitors are not paying enough attention to. This concerns methods of cooling components directly during flight. To this end, IE has developed a unique water injection cooling system. It is compact and does not interfere with aerodynamics. This system reduces the aircraft’s overall weight, enabling it to travel long distances.
Founded in 2001 by Harry Bradbury, Intelligent Energy has been working on improving the technology ever since. The company has conducted initial testing of the components and is ready to begin production in the near future.
