Powertrain developer ZeroAvia has announced it has developed AI software that promises to lower the cost of hydrogen production for clean aviation.
Testing of the Smart Hydrogen AI Production Software (SHAIPS) has shown an excess of 20% reduction in the levelised cost of hydrogen (LCOH) compared to an electrolyser generating all H2.
Val Miftakhov, CEO of ZeroAvia, said: “Tomorrow’s aviation fuel can be made from water and sunlight with today’s technology; the only question is cost. Our advanced software team has delivered an impactful application that can provide end users in aviation, transport and other industries the clean hydrogen fuel they need to operate, at costs that work for all parties.”
According to ZeroAvia, the hardware testing of this software has “validated many of the underlying assumptions” in modelled scenarios, proving the applicability of the software to deliver cost-effective, eco-friendly hydrogen production.
Policy initiatives have already been launched around the world to support low-cost hydrogen production. In the US, the Inflation Reduction Act established $3 per kg of hydrogen as part of a production tax credit, and the DOE is investing US$7 billion in Hydrogen Hubs across the country. In the EU, a newly established EU Hydrogen Bank will help accelerate the establishment of a full hydrogen value chain.
Miftakhov added: “It is inevitable that the levelised cost of hydrogen will fall over time, but we are seeking to accelerate that transition through innovation.”
ZeroAvia is currently targeting a 2025 entry into service for its fuel cell powertrains, which recently raised $116m in its Series C funding in November 2023, alongside developing the hydrogen fuel ecosystem needed to support sustainable aviation.
