MEHAIR orders 20 ZA600 hydrogen-electric engines from ZeroAvia for zero-emission aviation

Hyderabad: ZeroAvia, a company specialising in zero-emission aviation, announced on Friday that MEHAIR (Maritime Energy Heli Air Services Pvt Ltd) has placed a conditional order for up to 20 ZA600 hydrogen-electric engines. The order adds to the over 2,000 engine pre-orders secured by ZeroAvia.

ZeroAvia works with the mission of delivering a hydrogen-electric engine in every aircraft as the most environmentally and economically friendly solution for addressing the industry’s climate impact.

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.

MEHAIR has offered services across the Indian sub-continent, commencing with the launch of seaplane services in India in 2011. The company now has plans to grow across a range of sub-regional routes across India with both amphibian and wheeled aircraft.

The company is introducing wheeled aircraft as part of its network under the UDAN scheme with a firm plan to induct 10 Cessna 208 Aircraft in the next six months to connect 54 airports, five water dromes across 11 states and two UTs. This service includes seaplanes across various geographies.

MEHAIR will explore a range of options for financing the acquisition and retrofit of the engines to its upcoming fleet of 10 Cessna Caravan aircraft, including working with potential leasing partners. ZeroAvia and MEHAIR will also work together on establishing the fuel supply for the operator’s services across India.

Emphasis on use of hydrogen-based fuel for clean energy

India aspires to use hydrogen as a key enabler of its clean energy future, particularly in hard-to-abate sectors like aviation, and to deliver net zero by 2070.

A target of reaching five million metric tonnes of hydrogen production per annum has been set for 2030. Aviation too is growing dramatically across the country, with passenger numbers more than doubling over the last decade and more than 500 million passengers per annum predicted by 2030 according to the Centre for Aviation (CAPA), India.

James Peck, chief customer officer of ZeroAvia, said, “The rapid increase in demand for flights will be a key driver of economic growth and social and cultural exchange, but clean flight technology will be essential to ensure it does not derail net zero progress. Hydrogen fuel cell propulsion can offer lower operating costs and zero-emission flight, driving a rapid increase in regional aviation and supporting the dramatic expansion of MEHAIR’s operations.”

Siddharth Verma, MD of MEHAIR, said, “Operating under the highly successful UDAN Scheme, Government of India, amphibian and other small-wheeled aircraft can provide the much needed last-mile connectivity by bringing in a seamless network of runways and waterways, all the while offering an exceptional experience for passengers and boosting local economies. Aligning with the government’s vision of sustainable aviation, we believe we need to find sustainable ways to empower our operations in the future. We hope to spearhead this new revolution in partnership with ZeroAvia and the Government of India.”