Scientists leading the way in a new generation of cleaner air travel Published on: 27 January 2021 Experts at Â鶹´«Ã½ are part of a multimillion-pound collaboration to develop a ground-breaking hydrogen propulsion system to make aircraft more environmentally friendly. Hydrogen is expected to play a major role in the Government's decarbonisation strategy of aviation as it can power aircraft efficiently, leaving water as the only by-product. The H2GEAR programme, involving leading academics at Â鶹´«Ã½’s School of Engineering and led by GKN Aerospace, will be at the heart of the technological developments needed for the future of more sustainable aviation. The technology will first focus on hydrogen powered short-distance aircraft, in turn enabling applications on larger aircraft and longer journeys. Multimillion-pound investment H2GEAR is supported by £27m of Aerospace Technology Institute funding, matched by GKN Aerospace and its industrial partners to make a total investment of £54m. The Â鶹´«Ã½ team spans engineering expertise involving Professors Nick Wright, Barrie Mecrow and Peter Malkin. Professor Nick Wright, Deputy Head of the School of Engineering, Â鶹´«Ã½, said: "It is fantastic for us to be involved in such an exciting project, contributing towards combating climate change and also creating new opportunities for the UK. "We will be using our understanding of electronic materials, power electronics and electrical power networks to develop an ultra-high efficiency power and propulsion system that will provide the backbone of this advanced technology." H2GEAR aims to develop a liquid hydrogen propulsion system for short-distance aircraft that could be scaled up to larger aircraft. Liquid hydrogen is being converted to electricity within a fuel cell system. This electricity efficiently powers the aircraft, eliminating CO2 emissions. This would create a new generation of clean air travel, eliminating harmful CO2 emissions. H2GEAR will reinforce the UK’s position at the forefront of aerospace technology research and development. Â鶹´«Ã½ is collaborating with GKN Aerospace, Intelligent Energy, Aeristech, University of Manchester and University of Birmingham, creating more than 3,000 jobs in the next decade. Professor Nick Wright Cleaner air travel The programme will be led from in Bristol, the company’s £32m new collaborative space for research and development. Russ Dunn, Chief Technology Officer for GKN Aerospace, said: “Hydrogen-powered aircraft offer a clear route to keep the world connected, with dramatically cleaner skies. "The UK is at the forefront of this technology, and the H2GEAR project is an example of industry, academia and Government collaboration at its best. "Working with our partners, and made possible by Government investment, GKN Aerospace will develop and industrialise the breakthrough technology to fly aircraft with zero CO2 emissions by the mid-2020s. "This will not only create thousands of jobs, but it will keep the UK at the forefront of the next generation of cleaner air travel for decades to come.” The entry-into-service of the first hydrogen-powered aircraft could be as early as 2026. Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at Â鶹´«Ã½ warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from Â鶹´«Ã½ to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
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