Ministers say they are targeting a new era of "guilt-free" flying based on emerging zero-carbon technologies, which could see a new generation of battery-powered electric flying taxis and other hydrogen-fuelled aircraft take to the skies over the coming years.
The money will support development by Vertical Aerospace of new "high-end, lightweight batteries for small aircraft", as well as "the building blocks" of a zero-emission liquid hydrogen combustion jet engine from Rolls-Royce.
Projects developed via the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) programme will be jointly backed by government and industry, with the programme last month celebrating the maiden flight of ZeroAvia’s 19-seater fuel cell-powered aircraft.
Together, the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (Beis) said zero-emissions aviation projects would sustain thousands of jobs across the supply chain and hundreds of millions of pounds in private investment.
In addition, the DfT on Tuesday (7 February) launched a new call for evidence exploring how to achieve zero-emissions airport operations in England by 2040, a target set as part of the government’s Jet Zero Strategy launched last July.
The aims revive former transport secretary turned business secretary Grant Shapps’ "dream" vision of "guilt-free flying". "We are backing the world-leading UK firms whose skills and ingenuity are going to make that dream a reality," said Shapps.
"As the whole world moves to greener forms of aviation, there is a massive opportunity for the UK’s aerospace industry to secure clean, green jobs and growth for decades to come."
Transport secretary Mark Harper added: "The Jet Zero Council is helping to define the future of flying – one that’s more optimistic about the sector’s environmental impact while putting UK innovation at the forefront of international aviation.
"As well as developing the next generation of aircraft, it’s also crucial we make the sector greener on the ground, and the call for evidence we’re launching today will help us gather evidence on how airports can reach zero emissions by 2040."
The investment will be rubber-stamped at the seventh meeting of the Jet Zero Council on Tuesday at Boeing’s London offices, which is also looking at other low-carbon technologies and the adoption of sustainable aviation fuels.
