RICARDO-UK-LTD
30.3.2021 01:03:06 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) - the UK SME leading the Project Fresson consortium - announces it will exploit recent advances in hydrogen fuel cell technology to develop a commercially viable, retrofit powertrain solution for the nine-passenger Britten-Norman Islander aircraft.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210329005667/en/
Following a rigorous assessment of hydrogen technology innovators, CAeS is delighted to welcome Ricardo UK Ltd and Innovatus Technologies Ltd to the Fresson consortium. Ricardo UK Ltd brings expertise in fuel cell system development and Innovatus Technologies Ltd brings their innovative Scottish Hydrogen Fuel Tank (SHyFT) technology.
Steve Dyke, Managing Director Ricardo Automotive and Industrial EMEA Division said: “We are proud to join the Cranfield Aerospace Solutions consortium to play our part in helping to reduce the carbon footprint for commercial air passengers. We are already working on hydrogen and fuel cell technology, providing clean efficient solutions which reduce carbon and noxious emissions across a wide range of sectors. Our work for the Fresson consortium will enable us to consolidate and grow our hydrogen fuel cell and propulsion capability, so that Ricardo can achieve its ambition of becoming a world-leader in hydrogen and fuel cell services and solutions and help accelerate net zero transportation.”
Innovatus Technologies Ltd leads the field in next generation ultralightweight hydrogen tank design exploiting patented cellular core composite techniques. This is critical to the successful integration and exploitation of hydrogen fuel cell power systems in applications across aerospace, automotive, industrial, and marine sectors.
Ruan Swart, Chief Executive Officer Innovatus Technologies Ltd said: ““We are proud in being selected to join the Cranfield Aerospace Solutions, ‘Project Fresson’, consortium. Our unique and innovative SHyFT solution is game-changing in bringing zero carbon fuel cell energy to commercial reality in the transport sector. Project Fresson showcases important Scottish innovation and next generation hydrogen tank manufacturing in the UK.”
Project Fresson will deliver an emissions-free (zero CO2 ), hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered flying demonstrator by September 2022. Having completed a comprehensive evaluation of technologies and configurations for sustainable aircraft propulsion, the Fresson team concluded that hydrogen fuel cell technology is the optimum solution to meet environmental, regulatory and operational requirements for this size of aircraft, enabling zero carbon emissions and reducing operating costs. This has presented the Fresson consortium, which includes Britten-Norman and Cranfield University, with an opportunity to deliver an enhanced technology programme that surpasses the original demonstrator concept.
Paul Hutton, Chief Executive Officer, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions said: “This is incredibly important for the Project Fresson Team but also for everyone else around the world interested in zero emissions flight. This project can deliver the world’s first truly “green” passenger carrying airline services. The whole team is proud of what Project Fresson has achieved so far and excited about what is to come. I am very thankful for the support of the ATI and our investors for making this ground-breaking work a reality.”
Jenny Kavanagh, Chief Strategy Officer, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions added: “Covid-19 has caused the biggest crisis in aviation’s history. It’s important that, as the sector builds back better, it does so with sustainability at its heart. Project Fresson is more than just a technology demonstrator; it has one focus above all others: real operational and commercial viability.”
Project Fresson is supported by the ATI Programme, a joint Government and industry investment to maintain and grow the UK’s competitive position in civil aerospace design and manufacture. The programme, delivered through a partnership between the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI), Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Innovate UK, addresses technology, capability and supply chain challenges.
As a result of these changes, there is now no longer a need for the Rolls-Royce element of the aircraft programme. It is therefore Rolls-Royce’s intention to withdraw from Project Fresson and the consortium is going through the necessary steps for this to happen. We thank Rolls-Royce for its contribution to Project Fresson and wish its team well. Rolls-Royce will continue to actively research the use of hydrogen in aviation and this decision in no way reflects its overall view of hydrogen as a potential technology.
Ends
Notes to editors
- To follow the progress of Project Fresson, visit the microsite: www.projectfresson.uk or follow on Twitter @projectfresson.
- Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS) is an aerospace market leader in rapid prototyping of new aerospace concepts, modifications to existing aerospace platforms and integration of cutting-edge technologies to meet the most challenging issues facing the industry today. CAeS is the wholly owned commercial arm of Cranfield University. Visit: www.cranfieldaerospace.com
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210329005667/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Laserfiche Expands AI Data Capture with Auto-Classification to Transform Data into Business Intelligence28.1.2026 16:00:00 CET | Press release
New intelligent features automatically organize and classify documents, transforming how organizations manage information at scale. Laserfiche — the leading SaaS provider of intelligent content management — today announced major enhancements to its AI-powered data extraction tool, Smart Fields. The update introduces automated document classification and tagging, allowing organizations to move from unstructured content to informed decisions in seconds. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128228490/en/ Using natural language prompts instead of rigid, ruled-based OCR, Smart Fields can now identify document type — such as invoices, taxpayer identification forms, or student transcripts — and automatically apply the correct metadata template using AI. Users can also use Smart Fields to automatically add informational and security tags to files that meet certain criteria, defined using a natural language prompt. Users
Intersolar Africa 2026 to Position Nairobi as East Africa’s Key Hub for Solar and Energy Storage28.1.2026 15:20:00 CET | Press release
East Africa is emerging as one of the world’s most dynamic regions for solar power and battery storage. On 3–4 February 2026, Intersolar Africa will take place at the Sarit Expo Centre in Nairobi, expanding from the successful Intersolar Summit Africa in 2025 into a full international exhibition and conference. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128955267/en/ Intersolar Africa will take place on February 3-4 in Nairobi. East Africa’s Energy Market and Opportunities Rapid population growth, industrialization, and rising electricity demand are putting pressure on power systems across East Africa. Limited generation capacity, grid instability, and high electricity costs constrain economic growth. Solar photovoltaics combined with energy storage have emerged as the most cost-effective and scalable solution to expand capacity, stabilize supply, and strengthen long-term energy security for businesses and communities
Reply and the University of Milan Launch Experimental Research on Biological Computing Based on Cortical Labs’ CL1 Platform28.1.2026 15:10:00 CET | Press release
Reply [EXM, STAR: REY] today announced the start of a collaboration with the Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation of the University of Milan, together with the “Centro Dino Ferrari” of the University of Milan - Ospedale Policlinico, for a new research and experimental initiative in the field of biological computing. The project aims to explore innovative approaches to learning and information processing through the integration of biological systems and digital technologies. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128715625/en/ This initiative represents the starting point of an advanced research programme aimed at exploring new computational paradigms. At the core of the initiative is the CL1 biological computer developed by Cortical Labs, an Australian biotechnology company. Unlike conventional silicon-based computing architectures, this technology leverages the processing capabilities of living human
Brown Brothers Harriman Investor Services and SimCorp Forge Strategic Alliance to Provide Integrated End-to-End Technology, Data, and Services Solution for Global Asset Managers28.1.2026 15:00:00 CET | Press release
New offering leverages BBH Infomediary® to combine the benefits of the SimCorp One enterprise platform, including SimCorp Managed Business Services, with BBH Investor Services’ fund servicing and custody product suite. BBH Infomediary used to integrate BBH and SimCorp’s platforms and to connect to third parties in a unique open architecture model. Addresses the needs of global asset managers seeking to streamline and modernize their operating model. Quoniam Asset Management, a leading systematic manager, is the first to benefit from this data-driven offering. Brown Brothers Harriman (BBH), a privately held global financial services firm, and SimCorp, a leading global financial technology company, today announced a new strategic alliance to address the needs of global asset managers requiring an integrated, end-to-end technology, data, and services solution. Enhancing both firms’ existing offerings, this solution uses BBH Infomediary to integrate SimCorp One’s front and middle office ca
Wunderkind Joins Klaviyo Marketplace, Bringing Identity-Based Personalization and Revenue Growth to E-Commerce Brands28.1.2026 15:00:00 CET | Press release
New integration unlocks greater site identification, real-time personalization, and scalable triggered messaging Wunderkind, the AI decisioning platform that delivers identity resolution and cross-channel personalization to scale performance and reach, today announced its official debut on the Klaviyo App Marketplace. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128210560/en/ The integration brings Wunderkind’s identity insights directly into Klaviyo’s B2C CRM, powering real-time profiles, segments, and flows that help brands recognize more customers earlier in the journey and deliver relevant experiences across email, SMS and other Klaviyo-powered channels. By layering Wunderkind’s industry-leading Identity Network — built on more than 9 billion device profiles and over a billion unique user identities — into Klaviyo’s unified customer profile, marketers can strengthen their understanding of who customers are, unify id
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom