Universal Hydrogen has signed a letter of intent with Paris-based Amelia (by Regourd Aviation) for three ATR 72-600 hydrogen conversion kits.
Amelia is the first airline in France to use Universal Hydrogen’s services. As of September 2021, Universal Hydrogen will have a presence in Toulouse, France, with the opening of its first European engineering center. The engineering center is supporting the development of conversion kits for retrofitting regional aircraft with a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain, such as those for the Amelia, as well as the development of modular storage capsules for the distribution of hydrogen to the airports.
Universal Hydrogen and Amelia are expected to enter into a long-term contract after the conversion kits are installed to ensure that Amelia’s ATR fleet is supplied with enough hydrogen fuel on a regular basis.
“This commitment from Amelia to powering their fleet with green hydrogen is a harbinger of a true-zero-emissions future for regional aviation,” said Paul Eremenko, co-founder and CEO of Universal Hydrogen. “France has been a global leader in driving sustainability goals in its transportation networks, and this important step demonstrates that regional aviation has a bright future as part of the solution rather than part of the problem.”
“Amelia is proud to be the first airline client of Universal Hydrogen in France, proving our entrepreneurial DNA and strong drive to have a positive impact on our environment. It’s also of course imperative for our company to be the regional airline of choice for French travelers. To achieve this, our routes must meet their needs and our products and services must align with their values. After launching ‘Amelia Green,’ we proactively sought out companies to work with to decarbonize our fleet,” said Alain Regourd, President of Amelia. “With the help of Universal Hydrogen, Amelia is leading the way in zero-carbon aircraft and becoming a bellwether for sustainability in the French aviation industry.”
