MONTE, ZeroAvia and Ecojet sign agreement to decarbonise UK regional aviation
MONTE, ZeroAvia and EcoJet today announced their agreement to convert existing regional turboprop aircraft to hydrogen-electric propulsion systems to bring zero emission aviation to the UK.
Ecojet - which aims to become the flag carrier for green Britain - will begin operations in 2024 with conventionally powered aircraft operating routes to and from Edinburgh, before converting its fleet to become what it aims to be the world’s first electric airline. The airline will achieve its goal by retrofitting its aircraft with ZeroAvia’s ZA600 engines once certified.
Ecojet will be working with MONTE, ZeroAvia’s preferred ZA600 lessor partner, in bringing this groundbreaking technology to market. ZeroAvia is targeting type certification of the ZA600 engine in 2025
The newly launched airline has also placed a larger order for the more powerful ZA2000 engine, designed for up to 80 seat regional turboprops and with an entry-in-service target of 2027. This will open up the potential to fly aircraft such as the ATR72 and Dash 8 400, already popular on regional routes across the world.
ZeroAvia, Ecojet and MONTE will work together with airports and other industry partners, to identify and finance the first pathways to hydrogen-electric commercial operations. ZeroAvia analysis shows that, if powered by UK wind generated green hydrogen, domestic flights would have lower lifecycle carbon emissions per passenger than any other common mode of transport today, including fully occupied cars, domestic rail and coach travel.
Val Miftakhov, Founder and CEO, ZeroAvia, said: “Clean aviation will mean increased regional air travel and new routes, Ecojet can capitalize based on their clear focus on low-emission travel. The UK Government’s Jet Zero Strategy has set a great example for the world to follow, but the UK can go much further by being early to act and introducing some of the first zero-emission routes in the world.”
Dale Vince, Founder, Ecojet, said: “We don't have to give up flying to live a green lifestyle or to get to net zero as a country - and this is big news. The technology is here now and the planes are coming very soon - carbon free, guilt free flying is just around the corner. And although aviation is responsible for only a small part of all global emissions, it occupies a far bigger space than that in our psyche. The hearts and minds value of this new opportunity outweighs the carbon issue significantly. It shows that everything we need to do, can be done, with a low to zero carbon footprint. And that is big news and a big encouragement to us all.”
In June, MONTE announced that it had signed a definitive purchase agreement with ZeroAvia for 100 engines. MONTE will provide financing for Ecojet’s powertrain purchase, installation and operation, meaning that Ecojet will become one of MONTE’s first confirmed customers, and recipient of one of MONTE’s currently reserved production slots with ZeroAvia.
Rishi Majithia, Head of Investment, MONTE, said: “Since signing our definitive purchase agreement with ZeroAvia, we have been working closely with ZeroAvia and our global network of aircraft operators to reach tri-party agreements on the use of the ZA600 powertrain. Ecojet’s commitment to using the ZA600 whilst being financed by MONTE is one of the first of these partnerships and we are excited to be working with an operator that is aligned with our goals of decarbonizing regional aviation.”
ZeroAvia recently completed a program of 10 test flights of a prototype of its ZA600 for the Dornier 228 aircraft at its UK base in Kemble, Gloucestershire. In May, the company unveiled its testbed aircraft for testing the ZA2000 engine, a Dash 8 400 76-seat plane provided by Alaska Airlines, as well as announcing rapid progress in developing the core technologies for flying these larger aircraft.
About ZeroAvia
ZeroAvia is a leader in zero-emission aviation with the mission of delivering a hydrogen-electric engine in every aircraft as the most environmentally and economically friendly solution for addressing the industry’s climate impact. The company is starting with engines to support a 300-mile range in 9–19 seat aircraft by the end of 2025, and up to 700-mile range in 40–80 seat aircraft by 2027. Founded in California and now with thriving teams also in Everett, WA and the United Kingdom, ZeroAvia has secured experimental certificates to test its engines in three separate testbed aircraft with the FAA and CAA and passed significant flight test milestones. The company has signed a number of key engineering partnerships with major aircraft OEMs and has nearly 2,000 pre-orders for engines from a number of the major global airlines, with future revenue potential over $10bn. For more, please visit ZeroAvia.com, follow @ZeroAvia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
About Ecojet
Announced by green entrepreneur Dale Vince OBE in July 2023 - Ecojet is the world’s first electric airline and will take to the skies with ZeroAvia’s hydrogen-electric engines in 2025 (subject to certification). Ecojet’s fleet will comprise conventional planes retrofitted with hydrogen-electric powertrains. Once converted, the aircraft will operate with the same power output as before, but with a one-hundred percent reduction in CO2 emissions. The decision to repurpose old planes rather than build new models from scratch will save 90,000 tonnes of carbon per year.
About MONTE
MONTE is a leader in financing zero and low emission technologies in the regional aviation market. MONTE is exclusively focused on supporting the aviation industry’s transition to net zero carbon emissions by providing financing and leasing solutions for sustainable aviation to regional aircraft operators.