British Airways and a group of tech, green and energy investors – including Li Ka-Shing's Horizons Ventures, Shell Ventures and the Ecosystem Integrity Fund –are investing US$24.3 million in aircraft company ZeroAvia to fund the development of a 50+ seater plane capable of running on zero emissions hydrogen-electric power that could fly as soon as 2026.
The company expects to have a 20-seater aircraft running on hydrogen-electric power with a range of up to 500 miles by 2024 and is aiming for a 100-seat aircraft by 2030.
British Airways has committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 through a series of initiatives. In addition to exploring and investing in the growth of these new longer-term technologies, the airline is also investing in the development of sustainable aviation fuels, flying more fuel-efficient aircraft and exploring the use of carbon capture technology.
Sean Doyle, British Airways’ CEO said: “There is a huge amount of energy and excitement building around the possibilities of a zero emissions future for aviation and while there is no single solution to this challenge, we acknowledge the need for urgent action to tackle the impact flying currently has on our planet and are making progress on our journey to net zero.”
In September 2020, ZeroAvia achieved the world's first hydrogen-electric flight of a commercial-grade aircraft.