Request for Proposal for Zero Emission Flight Infrastructure (ZEFI) project

The Government committed in the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution to invest in R&D into the infrastructure upgrades required at UK airports to move to battery and hydrogen aircraft. Connected Places Catapult is working with the Department for Transport on this Zero Emission Flight Infrastructure project (ZEFI), which is running from April 2021 to March 2022.

The focus of the study is hydrogen and electric (battery) aircraft, although interoperability with kerosene and Sustainable Aviation Fuels will be considered given our expectation of a phased transition towards zero emission flight. We are exploring a range of use cases, from general aviation airfields to major commercial airports, looking at their existing infrastructure, and adaption requirements for new forms of zero emission aircraft.

Through collaborative work with aviation stakeholders, the programme will: • Explore the requirements for introducing hydrogen and electric-powered aircraft into general aviation and commercial airports • Identify the opportunities and challenges of adopting zero emission aircraft within airport environments • Develop technology roadmaps for the integration of these new fuels within airports • Investigate the gap between the current standards landscape and the standards which will be required to support the commercial rollout of zero emission flight infrastructure • Identify actions and investments airports and airfields may need to take to incorporate hydrogen and electric technology into their daily operations • Perform demonstrations in representative environments of new technologies, procedures and operational concepts for the introduction of hydrogen and electric aircraft.

Alongside this, the Transport Research and Innovation Grants: Zero Emission Flight (TRIG: ZEF) competition is also underway. This offers funding to organisations developing technologies to advance the move to zero emission flight.

As part of the ZEFI project activity, Operational Concepts (OpsCons) have been developed for the provision of both hydrogen and electricity, to fuel or charge aircraft. Now airport engagement is underway to better understand the requirements and constraints at different types of airports and airfields, to see how these OpsCons will apply in real case studies.

The final part of the work is to incorporate the learnings from the OpsCons and case studies into roadmaps for hydrogen and electrical infrastructure at airports and airfields. This document requests for the provision of services to support this work.

Please register if not already registered at site below and express an interest on the project and you will be able to download the tender document : https://procontract.due-north.com/Register

Additional information: Please register if not already registered at site below and express an interest on the project and you will be able to download the tender document : https://procontract.due-north.com/Register