Green aircraft engine developer ZeroAvia is to establish a
major manufacturing base in Scotland, creating around 350 jobs.
The US company's Hydrogen Centre of Excellence will be sited in
the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS)
in Renfrewshire and produce advanced fuel cell systems for its
hydrogen-electric aero engines. The facility is expected to begin
operating by 2028.
Scottish Enterprise has awarded a grant of £9 million to the
project, building on an earlier £20 million investment in the
company from the Scottish National Investment Bank. The grant
will unlock significant multiple investments from
ZeroAvia as it develops the facility and operations, with
the company targeting a multi-billion pound global export market.
ZeroAvia's engines can reduce operating costs for airlines
and would cut aviation's contribution to global warming by
emitting only water. The company hopes an engine for up to 20
seat planes will enter service in 2026 and it is working on a
powertrain for 40 to 80 seat aircraft.
First Minister visited Glasgow Airport to
meet with ZeroAvia and partners supporting the project and
Scotland's green aviation agenda.
The First Minister said:
“Scotland has the skills, the talent and the innovation to be at
the forefront of efforts to tackle the climate emergency while
developing significant new opportunities to grow the economy.
“ZeroAvia's decision to establish a base in Scotland –
creating 350 highly-skilled jobs in the process - is the perfect
illustration of Scotland's growing reputation in the global
transition to net zero.
“Attracting inward investment is critical to economic growth and
we will continue to work with Scottish Development International
and other partners bring more high quality jobs to Scotland.
“By setting out a strategic vision in priority areas such as the
hydrogen we are sending a clear statement to investors and
businesses that Scotland is at the heart of the green energy
revolution. The Hydrogen Centre of Excellence will be at the
forefront of fuel cell technology and offers a hugely promising
and exciting proposition for sustainable aviation.”
Val Miftakhov, Founder and Chief Executive, ZeroAvia said:
“Scotland has some unique advantages for ZeroAvia with strong
aerospace and engineering skills, a burgeoning hydrogen sector
and a clear aviation strategy with potential for early adoption
of zero-emission flights.
The aviation industry is on the cusp of the biggest
transformation since the advent of the jet age, with entirely new
propulsion systems set to power the next era of aviation –
cleaner flights, better economics and better experiences for
all.”
“With this new facility, Scotland has a big role to play in
driving this transformation. We welcome the grant award from
Scottish Enterprise and the support of our equity investors that
has enabled us to move into another phase of manufacturing
readiness as we progress towards certification of our first
engines.”
Scottish Enterprise Chief Executive Adrian Gillespie said:
“It is fantastic that we've been able to attract ZeroAvia to
Scotland, not only for the jobs they will be creating, but for
the hugely important role they can play in ensuring Scotland
maintains its reputation for fostering innovative green
technologies.
“Making aviation sustainable is crucial to a successful green
economy and Scottish Enterprise is fully committed to backing
ambitious companies with innovative ideas.
“ZeroAvia's decision to come to Scotland is a real boost to
our energy transition leadership, as well as being a further
example of why Scotland is such a great place for inward
investment.”
Background
Bank's first investment in
sustainable aviation with ZeroAvia | Scottish National
Investment Bank
The Scottish Government's Green Industrial Strategy.
The Advanced Manufacturing
Innovation District Scotland is led by Renfrewshire
Council in partnership with Scottish Enterprise and Scottish
Government. It is home to the National Manufacturing
Institute Scotland (NMIS) as well as the Medicines
Manufacturing Innovation Centre (MMIC).
