Surcar Airlines selects ZeroAvia hydrogen-electric engines to power flights in the Canary Islands

Photo Credit: ZeroAvia, Surcar Airlines

ZeroAvia (Hollister, Calif., U.S.) has signed an agreement to provide its ZA600 hydrogen-electric engines to new operator Surcar Airlines (Spain) as it looks to bring green flights to the Canary Islands.

Backed by investors including the Danish carrier Nordic Seaplanes, the newly launched airline plans to use Twin Otter seaplanes retrofitted with the ZA600 powertrain on sightseeing tours. Surcar Airlines is committed to the electrification of aviation to enable zero-emission flights in the Canary Islands. The company says it will begin operations with conventionally powered aircraft; the next step will be switching to hydrogen-electric engines to remove all in-flight emissions, providing additional reductions in climate and air quality impacts.

ZeroAvia is on track for certification over the next two to three years of the ZA600 600-kilowatt engine for 9-19 seat aircraft and has a Memorandum of Understanding with De Havilland (Toronto, Canada), type certificate holder of the Twin Otter.

ZeroAvia recently completed a program of 10 test flights of a prototype of its ZA600 for the aboard a Dornier 228 aircraft at its U.K. base in Kemble, Gloucestershire. Hydrogen-electric engines use hydrogen in fuel cells to generate electricity, which is then used to power electric motors to turn the aircraft’s propellers. The only emission is water.

CGH₂ to LH₂ and composite tanks

“For the initial launch of the powertrain supporting smaller, up to 19-seat utility aircraft in 2025, we intend to stay with compressed gas [CGH₂],” says Val Miftakhov, founder and CEO of ZeroAvia. “And then for another three to four years beyond that, we will use CGH₂ in composite cylinders. We’re also looking at a number of conformable tank technologies from multiple manufacturers that are based on composites.”

“However,” Miftakhov continues, “we think larger aircraft, and eventually all aircraft, will move to cryogenic LH₂. Our first application of LH₂ will be for the 40-80-seat regional turboprops like the DeHaviland of Canada Dash 8 and ATR families with customers like Alaska Airlines in 2027. We see the most promising approach is using composite tanks and we are working with a couple of partners on that already.

The European Union is targeting a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, and Spain’s National Energy and Climate Plan aims to achieve an entirely carbon-neutral transport system by 2050. Such policy action is echoed in consumer attitudes. According to a survey conducted by the European Investment Bank, three-quarters of Europeans plan to fly less frequently in the future for environmental reasons. Delivering clean flight is a strategic imperative for the aviation industry.

“The Canaries are a perfect use case for the earliest zero-emission flights, given the opportunity for replacing combustion engines on short island-to-island routes,” says James Peck, chief customer officer for ZeroAvia. “Developing green options for inter-island travel will help further increase the appeal of one of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations.”