It is found that making the UK aviation industry greener could secure nearly 5,000 jobs. This is possible due to a multi-million-pound boost for three pioneering research and development projects, media reports said.
The projects have a total investment of £84.6 million. Of the investment, half is from the UK government and is delivered through the ATI programme. The first project: GKN Aerospace-led H2GEAR will receive a £27.2 million government grant to develop an innovative liquid hydrogen propulsion system. The second project: ZeroAvia’s HyFlyer II will receive a £12.3 million government grant to increase and scale up its zero-emissions engines. The third project: InCEPTion will receive a £2.8 million government grant for the development of a fully-electrified zero-emissions propulsion system for aircraft.
Business Minister Paul Scully, told the media, “These trailblazing projects are broadening the horizons of future air travel, towards a greener future where we may be able to hail taxis from the sky rather than on our streets. This multi-million-pound boost will help to secure up to 4,750 jobs in these projects spanning the UK, and could pave the way to technological advances that will allow the industry to build back better and greener following the Covid-19 pandemic—and help tackle climate change.”
The UK government is fully committed to transform the transport system through its extensive research and development roadmap. The government will also increase its research and development public spending to £22 billion annually by 2024 or 2025.