The Anonymous Widower

Ecojet: Dale Vince Launches An Aviation Revolution

The title of this post is the same as that as this news story from Ecotricity.

This is the sub-heading.

The world’s first electric airline powered by renewable energy

These three paragraphs outline the project.

Ecotricity founder, Dale Vince, has announced the launch of Ecojet, the world’s first Electric Airline, powered by renewable energy. The move marks the beginning of an aviation revolution by making net-zero, emission-free air travel possible for the first time.

Ecojet’s fleet will comprise conventional planes retrofitted with hydrogen-electric powertrains. Once converted, the aircraft will operate with the same power output as before, but with a one-hundred percent reduction in CO2 emissions.

The decision to repurpose old planes rather than build new models from scratch will save 90,000 tonnes of carbon per year. The only byproduct will be water, which can be captured and released into the lower atmosphere to avoid the harmful effects of contrails.

These ae my thoughts.

The Aircraft

The news story contains pictures of two aircraft; a de Havilland Canada Twin Otter and a 737 or A320 variant.

• It also says that hydrogen-electric powertrains will be used.
• ZeroAvia in partnership with Cranfield Aerospace are developing such a powertrain and I suspect they could have one certified by 2025.

This would be used in the Twin Otter.

But what about 737 or A320 variant?

Airbus are already proposing the ZEROe Turbofan, which appears to be based on an improved A320 neo.

But the image on the news story looks more like a Boeing 737 from the wing-tips.

This article on the IET web site, which is entitled Airbus And Boeing To Embrace Hydrogen From Mid-2030s, indicates that it will be the mid-2030s before hydrogen twinjets of this size are in service.

This paragraph from the news story indicates his philosophy about the aircraft.

Short-term, to secure routes and a license from the Civil Aviation Authority, Ecojet will initially launch using conventionally fuelled planes. Ecojet will launch with two different sizes of turboprop aircraft (a 19-seat aircraft and a 70-seat aircraft). These aircraft will be retrofitted with the hydrogen-electric powertrains as they become approved for service by the CAA – the first retrofits will take place in 2025, one year after the commencement of flights.

Note.

1. The news story clearly states that two types of aircraft will be used; a 19-seat turboprop and 70-seat turboprop.
2. So the second picture of a Boeing 737 had nothing to do with the news story.
3. They will be retrofitted with hydrogen-electric powertrains, when they have been certified.
4. Flights are planned to start next year.

It looks a very canny philosophy, as Ecojet will be able to prove the route with aircraft running on traditional fuels or sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and only switch to hydrogen, when the hydrogen-electric powertrains are proven, certified and installed, and the hydrogen infrastructure is in place.

The Smaller Aircraft

The first picture in the news story is of a de Havilland Canada Twin Otter.

• This aircraft accommodates 19-20 passengers.
• It has two turboprop engines.
• Production started in 1966 and it is still ongoing.
• Nearly a thousand have been built, so plenty of nearly-new examples will be available for refurbishment and conversion.
• Loganair operate three aircraft in Scotland.

It looks fairly certain, that Ecojet’s 19-seat aircraft will be a Twin Otter.

The Larger Aircraft

Possibilities would include these aircraft.

• ATR-72 – 72 seats
• de Havilland Canada Dash 8 – > 50 seats

Note.

1. Both aircraft are still in production.
2. In ZeroAvia To Bring Zero-Emissions Flight To Sweden, I talk about how ZeroAvia have sold their hydrogen-electric powertrains to Swedish ATR-72 operator; Braathens and are targeting Dash 8 operators.
3. In Universal Hydrogen Successfully Completes First Flight Of Hydrogen Regional Airliner, I talk about Universal Hydrogen’s successful progress in selling hydrogen-electric powertrains for ATR-72s and Dash 8s. The first flight of their system was in an ATR-72.

It looks to me, that Dale Vince has a choice of two 70-seat aircraft and hydrogen-electric powertrains from two manufacturers; ZeroAvia and Universal Hydrogen.

In Monte To Purchase 100 FC Aircraft Drives From ZeroAvia, I talk about how Monte Aircraft Leasing have done a deal with ZeroAvia to lease ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric powertrains to regional airlines.

Has Dale Vince done a deal with Monte Aircraft Leasing for his aircraft?

• Monte Aircraft Leasing and ZeroAvia would get an eco-celebrity customer, who could even be the launch customer.
• Ecojet’s aircraft would all have similar ZeroAvia hydrogen-electric powertrains, although the size might be different.
• Dale Vince would only be sharing the risk, if the technology was a dog.
• De Havilland Canada and/or ATR will see how the passengers like zero-carbon flight.

There is also, one of aviation’s most powerful companies close to the deal, as Airbus own half of ATR.

Airbus are developing the hydrogen-powered ZEROe Turboprop, which is shown in this Airbus image.

Note.

1. It looks very much like an improved ATR-72.
2. It has more extreme propellers and probably better aerodynamics.
3. Airbus might like to persuade Ecojet to use ATR-72s as their 70-seat airliner.
4. Information from an operator of hydrogen-powered airliners would be very valuable to Airbus.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Ecojet lease some nearly new ATR-72s.

Would Airbus Fit ZeroAvia Hydrogen-Electric Powertrains In The ZEROe Turboprop?

This page on the Airbus website is entitled ZEROe.

In a section, which is entitled Hydrogen Propulsion To Power Future Aircraft, this is said.

All three ZEROe concepts are hybrid-hydrogen aircraft. They are powered by hydrogen combustion through modified gas turbine engines. Liquid hydrogen is used as fuel for combustion with oxygen.

In addition, hydrogen fuel cells create electrical power that complements the gas turbine, resulting in a highly efficient hybrid-electric propulsion system. All of these technologies are complementary, and the benefits are additive.

In 2022, we launched our ZEROe demonstrator with the aim to test hydrogen combustion technology on an A380 multimodal platform. Through future ground and flight testing, we expect to achieve a mature technology readiness level for a hydrogen-combustion propulsion system by 2025.

Note.

1. Airbus state they are using modified gas turbine engines.
2. Airbus also talk about using fuel cells to create electrical power that complements the gas turbines.
3. Could the hydrogen fuel cells be used to power the aircraft’s systems, like avionics, control systems, air-conditioning and the hydrogen system for the main engine?
4. This concept of effectively a hydrogen auxiliary power unit,  might be a more efficient way of using the hydrogen, which either gives longer range or a smaller fuel tank.
5. In The ZEROe Demonstrator Has Arrived, I talk about the ZEROe Demonstrator, which is a modified Airbus A 380.

Did the adding of hydrogen fuel cells to the ZEROe aircraft, lead to the concept of a hydrogen-powered auxiliary power unit, that I talked about in Airbus To Trial In-flight Auxiliary Power Entirely Generated By Hydrogen?

It looks to me, that Airbus have developed their own simple concept of powering the aircraft.

I doubt they will need ZeroAvia’s technology.

But.

• Aircraft manufacturers like Airbus generally fit the best and most suited engines they can find in their aircraft.
• The Wikipedia entry for ZeroAvia says that the prototype hydrogen-electric powertrain is in the cabin, consisting of two fuel cells and a lithium-ion battery for peak power.
• ZeroAvia have powerful shareholders like Amazon, Bill Gates and Royal Dutch Shell.
• ZeroAvia have also received grants from the UK Government.

I wouldn’t be surprised to learn, that Airbus have taken a long hard look at ZeroAvia’s technology.

After all, ZeroAvia could probably build a hydrogen fuel cell power pack, that would meet Airbus’s needs for a hydrogen-powered auxiliary power unit.

Remember too, that many fleets of aircraft have been updated with new engines for decades and I don’t think Airbus would mind ZeroAvia giving a new zero-carbon lease of life to the hundreds of ATR-72s in service around the world.

Surely, a successful hydrogen-powered ATR-72 is only going to create more interest in airlines buying ZEROe Turboprops.

All the converted aircraft will still need support from ATR.

Both the converted and new aircraft will need hydrogen refuelling services, so could the two aircraft use a common standard.

Airbus and ZeroAvia would appear to have several common interests.

Ecojet’s Core Route

This is a paragraph from the news story on the Ecotricity web site.

Dale has partnered with experienced pilot Brent Smith and a team of aviation specialists to set up Ecojet. Flights across the UK will commence in early 2024, starting with the Edinburgh to Southampton route, and expanding to mainland Europe shortly after, with long-haul flights planned for the future.

Note.

1. The ATR-72 has a range of 949 miles, which is more than adequate for Southampton and Edinburgh, which is just over 350 miles.
2. Diagonal journeys in the UK are often the most passenger-unfriendly by rail and tend to use diesel trains.
3. Southampton Airport has good road and rail connections, with the terminal less than a minute from the station.
4. Edinburgh Airport has good road and tram connections, with rail connections needing a short journey on the tram.
5. Southampton Airport has flights to the Channel Islands, Ireland and Schiphol.
6. Edinburgh Airport has a comprehensive service from major airlines and low-cost carriers, and several flights to destinations in the North of Scotland and on the Islands.

I think that it is a well-chosen core route for their 70-seat aircraft.

Which Routes Will Ecojet Fly With The Twin Otters?

Consider.

• My Scottish friends tell me that flying to the Scottish Islands, like the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland is expensive.
• The growth of the Scottish wind power industry will mean, that more capacity is needed to serve the North of Scotland and the Islands.
• Tourism to the North of Scotland and the Islands is on the up.
• There will not be a shortage of green electricity to produce green hydrogen.
• The North of Scotland isn’t short of airports.
• The Twin Otter has a surprisingly long range on aviation fuel and I suspect, that a hydrogen version would be designed to have a similar range.
• The longest flight needed would probably be Edinburgh and Sumburgh, which is about 280 miles, which should be well within the range of a Twin Otter.
• I suspect that hydrogen refuelling could be easily provided at enough airports, to support hydrogen-powered airliners.
• I am sure, that the Twin Otters could be used on a network of zero-carbon flights from Edinburgh to the North of Scotland and the Islands.
• A zero-carbon airline would help Scotland’s net-zero ambitions.

There is certainly a need for another airline to connect Edinburgh to the North of Scotland and the Islands and the infrastructure could be upgraded to support a hydrogen-based zero-carbon airline.

Could Ecojet build a similar network at Southampton, that served the Channel Islands, Southern Ireland and Northern France?

Conclusion

There’s a lot more to this venture, than there appears at first sight.

O wish Vince and his partners well, but as a coeliac, I’ll skip the food.

July 18, 2023 Posted by AnonW | Food, Hydrogen, Transport/Travel | Airbus, Airbus A 320, Airbus A 320 neo, Amazon, ATR 72, Aviation, Bill Gates, Boeing 737, Braathens Airlines, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, Dale Vince, de Havilland Canada Dash 8, Decarbonisation, Ecojet, Ecotricity, Edinburgh Airport, Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft, Monte Aircraft Leasing, Shell, Southampton Airport, Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Twin Otter, Universal Hydrogen, Vegan, ZeroAvia, ZEROe Turbofan | Leave a comment