Brisbane, Australia-based hydrogen aviation company Stralis is partnering with New Zealand’s Fabrum and Ara Ake on the region’s first liquid hydrogen flight.
The industrial consortium will jointly develop and test liquid-hydrogen storage tanks and a fuel system for Stralis’ aircraft.
Stralis will integrate Fabrum’s tanks and fuel system into its aircraft, while Fabrum will provide lightweight composite tanks and dispensing systems for liquid hydrogen.
Christopher Boyle, managing director of Fabrum said, “Our hydrogen liquefier provides readily available liquid hydrogen onsite, allowing the capability to access the critical fuel source to prove and test the tanks and fuel system we are developing for Stralis and their fixed-wing fuel-cell electric aircraft.”
Fabrum’s process produces hydrogen through electrolysis of water using renewable electricity. The company is also building a hydrogen testing facility at Christchurch International Airport.
Stralis was founded in 2021 and is developing a hydrogen-electric retrofit kit for the Beechcraft 1900, the 1900HE, which will have 15 seats and a range of 800km (500 miles).
According to Stralis, its high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel-cell technology is lighter than existing alternatives, potentially enabling aircraft to fly ten times further than battery-electric solutions at a lower cost than fossil-fuel-powered planes. The company is already testing its hydrogen-electric propulsion systems with a team that has deep expertise in electric-aircraft development.
Stuart Johnstone, co-founder and chief technology officer of Stralis Aircraft said, “This project is a significant step forward for Stralis as we test and refine our hydrogen-electric propulsion technology and build our liquid hydrogen capability. We look forward to advancing hydrogen-electric aviation and fostering new partnerships in New Zealand.”
The New Zealand government-funded Ara Ake future energy centre is supporting the project, which a;sp aims to strengthen industry ties between New Zealand and Australia and to build expertise in liquid-hydrogen storage refuelling, and aircraft integration.
Cristiano Marantes, CEO of Ara Ake said, “By enabling this initiative, we’re supporting the first hydrogen-electric demonstration with liquid hydrogen and positioning New Zealand as a global testbed for sustainable aviation innovation.”
