A number of hydrogen projects have secured funding through the Department for Transport’s latest Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) programme.
On 29 September, the DfT announced the 15 projects to secure funding through TRIG: Zero Emission Flight, which falls under the wider Zero Emissions Flight Infrastructure project and is being delivered by the Connected Places Catapult. The latest TRIG programme was launched to address the feasibility of integrating hydrogen and electric infrastructure system in airfields, with grants of up to £50,000 on offer.
The programme targeted three priority areas: hydrogen storage, handling, aircraft refuelling/defueling, distribution and associated technologies; electric charging, storage, handling, batteries, electric distribution, and associated technologies; and research into future demand scenarios for airside use of green hydrogen and electricity at UK airports.
The successful projects with a hydrogen focus include Cranfield University’s Hydrogen Safety in Aviation, which is an immersive XR training scenario for airport personnel; the University of Warwick’s evaluation of safety zones and mitigation measures for hydrogen refuelling infrastructure at airports; Ultima Forma’s flexible electroformed twin-walled hydrogen fuel hoses; and Protium Green Solutions’ development of a digital twin for the fast refuelling process and procedure for gaseous hydrogen aircraft.
Others to receive backing are Hive Composites’ next-generation thermoplastic composite pipe for hydrogen distribution in airports; Stratospheric Platforms’ development of a safety zonal tool for the operation of liquid hydrogen powered aircraft at airfields; EGB Engineering Consultant’s modelling of electricity and green hydrogen scenarios to meet future airport demand; Zero Avia’s liquid hydrogen airport refuelling ecosystem; and UltraCompHy from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Queen’s University in Belfast, which is an ultra-lightweight composite pressure vessel for safe and cost-effective hydrogen storage.
