Alaska Airlines plans to retrofit its De Havilland Q400 short-haul aircraft to run on hydrogen
Alaska Airlines in Zeroavia hydrogen retrofit deal
Short-haul hydrogen-powered test flights expected in 2023 from Seattle hub with onsite green hydrogen production and refuelling network
Seattle-based Alaska Airlines is partnering with US-UK hydrogen-electric aircraft developer Zeroavia to retrofit its fleet of 76-seat De Havilland Q400 short-haul aircraft with a hydrogen-electric powertrain. Alaska Air’s Seattle hub will act as the starting point for the transition, as the joint venture will need to construct onsite hydrogen production and develop a hydrogen refuelling network to serve an initial round of flight destinations. While Zeroavia has not attempted this size of retrofit before, the company has flown a six-seat prototype and is about to test fly two 20-seat Dornier 228s fitted with 600kW Zeroavia fuel cell hydrogen powertrains. The schedule to have the Alaska Q400s
Also in this section
17 January 2025
Bank’s UK arm signs first deal to finance a green hydrogen developer, but cost and offtake pressures mean the sector remains too risky for many lenders
15 January 2025
The country’s technology-neutral position and competitive business environment mean it is looking to be surfing the second wave of the energy transition while others are still grappling with the first
14 January 2025
With abundant wind and sunshine, Africa is poised to lead in green hydrogen production. Yet high costs and financing challenges require global partnerships to unlock the continent's potential
14 January 2025
The continent’s largest economy sees an opportunity to join the global export market, but funding gap and lack of regulatory framework present challenges
