Electric Aircraft Technology Facility Planned Near Glasgow Airport

A new manufacturing facility dedicated to zero-emission aircraft technology is set to be established near Glasgow Airport.

ZeroAvia's hydrogen-powered prototype flies high in this illustration.

ZeroAvia, a U.S.-based aviation company, announced that the site will focus on developing and producing hydrogen fuel cells for small electric aircraft. The company has previously conducted test flights in England using a 19-seat aircraft powered by a hydrogen-electric propulsion system.

This new Hydrogen Centre of Excellence will be located in the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District in Renfrewshire, near Glasgow Airport. While the facility will specialize in hydrogen fuel cell development, electric motor production will remain in the United States, and flight testing will continue at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire.

ZeroAvia has secured funding from both the UK and Scottish governments, as well as support from Scotland's National Investment Bank. Globally, the aviation industry accounts for an estimated 2–3% of carbon emissions. Reducing these emissions poses significant technical hurdles. Fully electric aircraft are limited by battery weight, prompting companies like ZeroAvia to explore hydrogen fuel cells—systems that generate onboard electricity using hydrogen, emitting only water as a by-product.

In 2023, ZeroAvia successfully test flew a twin-engine Dornier 228, replacing one conventional engine with a hydrogen-electric system. The company has now submitted its first full hydrogen-electric engine for certification, designed for aircraft with up to 20 seats, and is also developing a larger version suitable for planes carrying 40 to 80 passengers.

Meanwhile, Glasgow Airport is positioning itself as a future "hydrogen hub," having recently hosted a summit outlining plans to support zero-emission aviation by 2027.