Hydrogen-Electric Zero Emission Propulsion System

HEROPS aims to introduce climate-neutral propulsion into regional aircraft by developing MTU’s Flying Fuel Cell (FFC) propulsion system concept for entry into service in 2035.

This disruptive hydrogen-electric propulsion system uses fuel cells as sole power source and a liquid hydrogen fuel system, without the need for high-power batteries.

Integration of both the fuel cell system and the electric propulsion unit into a compact engine nacelle will ensure an efficient system at high power-to-weight ratio. HEROPS targets to demonstrate a 1,2 MW propulsion system based on a scalable 600 kW core module at TRL4. The core module and all further sub-systems will be validated up to TRL5.

Complemented by simulation and electrical network testing of the overall modularised system, scalability to the 2 – 4 MW power level will be confirmed.

The certification programme will build upon on-going certification activities, enabling timely maturation of the aviation-native HEROPS technology against relevant certification requirements.

The two-phase approach of the overall programme - including extensive development, test and validation cycles at each stage - is expected to advance the FFC concept to TRL6 for integration and demonstration on a regional aircraft by 2028.

It will pave the way for commercial prototyping and entry-into-service by 2035, delivering a key propulsion technology to reach the European Green Deal’s objective of climate-neutral aviation by 2050 with 100% prevention of CO2 and NOx emissions and up to 80% reduction of the climate impact from contrails and contrail cirrus.

The HEROPS project will meet this challenge with a European consortium of aircraft propulsion system integrators, electrical system experts, key tier 1 suppliers and leading researchers in stack technology, mechanics and propulsion, leveraging relevant and effective synergies between European and national programmes.