Ricardo: UK Consortium to Deliver World’s First Truly Green Passenger Carrying Airline Services Using Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology
30.3.2021 02:01:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) - the UK SME leading the Project Fresson consortium - announces it will exploit recent advances in hydrogen fuel cell technology to develop a commercially viable, retrofit powertrain solution for the nine-passenger Britten-Norman Islander aircraft.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210329005667/en/
Project Frisson to deliver world's first green passenger aircraft service (Graphic: Business Wire)
Following a rigorous assessment of hydrogen technology innovators, CAeS is delighted to welcome Ricardo UK Ltd and Innovatus Technologies Ltd to the Fresson consortium. Ricardo UK Ltd brings expertise in fuel cell system development and Innovatus Technologies Ltd brings their innovative Scottish Hydrogen Fuel Tank (SHyFT) technology.
Steve Dyke, Managing Director Ricardo Automotive and Industrial EMEA Division said: “We are proud to join the Cranfield Aerospace Solutions consortium to play our part in helping to reduce the carbon footprint for commercial air passengers. We are already working on hydrogen and fuel cell technology, providing clean efficient solutions which reduce carbon and noxious emissions across a wide range of sectors. Our work for the Fresson consortium will enable us to consolidate and grow our hydrogen fuel cell and propulsion capability, so that Ricardo can achieve its ambition of becoming a world-leader in hydrogen and fuel cell services and solutions and help accelerate net zero transportation.”
Innovatus Technologies Ltd leads the field in next generation ultralightweight hydrogen tank design exploiting patented cellular core composite techniques. This is critical to the successful integration and exploitation of hydrogen fuel cell power systems in applications across aerospace, automotive, industrial, and marine sectors.
Ruan Swart, Chief Executive Officer Innovatus Technologies Ltd said: ““We are proud in being selected to join the Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, ‘Project Fresson’, consortium. Our unique and innovative SHyFT solution is game-changing in bringing zero carbon fuel cell energy to commercial reality in the transport sector. Project Fresson showcases important Scottish innovation and next generation hydrogen tank manufacturing in the UK.”
Project Fresson will deliver an emissions-free (zero CO2), hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered flying demonstrator by September 2022. Having completed a comprehensive evaluation of technologies and configurations for sustainable aircraft propulsion, the Fresson team concluded that hydrogen fuel cell technology is the optimum solution to meet environmental, regulatory and operational requirements for this size of aircraft, enabling zero carbon emissions and reducing operating costs. This has presented the Fresson consortium, which includes Britten-Norman and Cranfield University, with an opportunity to deliver an enhanced technology programme that surpasses the original demonstrator concept.
Paul Hutton, Chief Executive Officer, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions said: “This is incredibly important for the Project Fresson Team but also for everyone else around the world interested in zero emissions flight. This project can deliver the world’s first truly “green” passenger carrying airline services. The whole team is proud of what Project Fresson has achieved so far and excited about what is to come. I am very thankful for the support of the ATI and our investors for making this ground-breaking work a reality.”
Jenny Kavanagh, Chief Strategy Officer, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions added: “Covid-19 has caused the biggest crisis in aviation’s history. It’s important that, as the sector builds back better, it does so with sustainability at its heart. Project Fresson is more than just a technology demonstrator; it has one focus above all others: real operational and commercial viability.”
Project Fresson is supported by the ATI Programme, a joint Government and industry investment to maintain and grow the UK’s competitive position in civil aerospace design and manufacture. The programme, delivered through a partnership between the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Innovate UK, addresses technology, capability and supply chain challenges.
As a result of these changes, there is now no longer a need for the Rolls-Royce element of the aircraft programme. It is therefore Rolls-Royce’s intention to withdraw from Project Fresson and the consortium is going through the necessary steps for this to happen. We thank Rolls-Royce for its contribution to Project Fresson and wish its team well. Rolls-Royce will continue to actively research the use of hydrogen in aviation and this decision in no way reflects its overall view of hydrogen as a potential technology.
Ends
Notes to editors
- To follow the progress of Project Fresson, visit the microsite: www.projectfresson.uk or follow on Twitter @projectfresson.
- Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) is an aerospace market leader in rapid prototyping of new aerospace concepts, modifications to existing aerospace platforms and integration of cutting-edge technologies to meet the most challenging issues facing the industry today. CAeS is the wholly owned commercial arm of Cranfield University. Visit: www.cranfieldaerospace.com
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210329005667/en/
Contact information
Media contacts
For Cranfield Aerospace Solutions:
Telephone: +44 (0) 1234 754046
Email: enquiries@cranfieldaerospace.com
For Ricardo
Kathryn Bellamy
Communications Manager
Ricardo Automotive & Industrial EMEA Division, and Performance Products Division
Email: kathryn.bellamy@ricardo.com
Telephone: +44(0)7921 941824
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
BM3EAC Corp. 2026 Semi-Annual Report12.8.2026 18:51:00 EEST | Press release
BM3EAC Corp. (the “Company”), a special purpose acquisition company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company with limited liability and listed on Euronext Amsterdam, the regulated market operated by Euronext Amsterdam N.V., today published its semi-annual report for the period 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2026. The semi-annual report can be downloaded from the Company’s website via the following link: https://www.BrigadeM3EAC.com/documents IMPORTANT INFORMATION This press release contains information that qualifies as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of the EU Market Abuse Regulation. DISCLAIMER The Company’s semi-annual report referenced in this announcement may include forward-looking statements, which are based on the Company's current expectations and projections regarding a business combination, the business, the economy and other future conditions of the Company and speak only as of the date hereof. Forward-looking statements may
STL Selects Kinaxis Planning One to Strengthen Supply Chain Planning Across Global Operations12.8.2026 17:10:00 EEST | Press release
Kinaxis® Inc. (TSX:KXS), a global leader in supply chain orchestration, today announced that STL (NSE: STLTECH), a leading optical and digital solutions company, has selected Kinaxis Planning One to strengthen its supply chain planning capabilities and improve decision-making speed across its global operations. The deployment reflects Kinaxis' continued commitment to the Indian market and represents another milestone in expanding customer access through its growing network of value-added reseller (VAR) partners, and its first customer win through the company's Google Marketplace mid-market initiative. "Manufacturers are under increasing pressure to respond to volatility with faster, more coordinated decisions," said Ray Curbelo, SVP, Global Partner Organization at Kinaxis. "This engagement with STL reflects both the growing demand for modern supply chain planning in India and the role our partner ecosystem and Google Marketplace initiative are playing in expanding access to Kinaxis Pla
Azalea Vision Appoints Co-Founder Andrés Vasquez Quintero as Chief Executive Officer to Lead Next Phase of Clinical Development12.8.2026 17:00:00 EEST | Press release
Azalea Vision, a Belgian healthtech company, today announced that co-founder and CTO Andrés Vasquez Quintero will become Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately, while continuing as CTO. The transition marks the company’s next phase, advancing its smart contact lens platform into clinical development, following its selection for the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260812586109/en/ Andrés Vásquez Quintero, CEO & CTO of Azalea Vision As the inventor of Azalea Vision’s proprietary adaptive-optics platform, Vasquez Quintero has led its technology and clinical strategy since founding, keeping technical and corporate direction closely aligned. “This is an exciting milestone for Azalea Vision,” said Andrés Vasquez Quintero, co-founder, CEO and CTO of Azalea Vision. “Our focus is now on advancing clinical development, generating the evidence needed for regulatory a
Seoul Semiconductor Secures Permanent Injunction in India Following Rulings in Europe and the United States12.8.2026 16:00:00 EEST | Press release
Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (KOSDAQ: 046890, hereinafter 'Seoul') and its affiliate Seoul Viosys Co., Ltd. (KOSDAQ: 092190), global opto-semiconductor technology companies, have obtained a permanent injunction enjoining infringement of Seoul’s opto-semiconductor patents in India, following similar injunction rulings in Europe and the United States. The Delhi High Court extended the injunction to the managing director as well. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260812490873/en/ Patented opto-semiconductor light-output enhancement technology applied in the lawsuits (left) and WICOP technology (right) (Graphic: Seoul Viosys) These rulings are expected to significantly impact the global opto-semiconductor industry, a market worth roughly USD 200 billion that is expanding from automotive lighting and displays into optical communications for AI applications. In India, Seoul Viosys won a final judgment against Ornate
Brightfin Helps Federal Agencies Plan IT Finances Faster and Cut Telecom Costs Through Knox’s FedRAMP Platform12.8.2026 16:00:00 EEST | Press release
Brightfin today announced that its technology spend management solutions are now available to U.S. federal agencies through Knox’s FedRAMP Authorized cloud platform. Deploying on Knox gives public sector organizations a compliant path to faster financial planning cycles, more strategic decision-making, and lower IT and telecom costs, the same discipline commercial enterprises rely on. Brightfin is actively working with Knox toward achieving FedRAMP certification. Federal agencies have long struggled with IT spend data that is siloed and disconnected, limiting their ability to manage hardware and software assets and their associated costs. The result is a reactive posture, scrambling to keep pace with evolving government requirements rather than getting ahead of them. Built natively on ServiceNow, Brightfin turns fragmented IT spend data into actionable insight, operational efficiency, and reduced cost across the entire IT estate. The outcomes federal agencies can now realize Through th
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom