Memorandum of understanding to take air mobility infrastructure, renewable aviation fuels to new heights
Pioneering electric aircraft developer Ampaire and Black & Veatch – a global leader in sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy and transportation electrification – will collaborate on developing airport electrification that supports tomorrow’s electric aviation needs.
Against the backdrop of a reimagined aviation sector – and the evolution of air mobility in a world increasingly looking to decarbonize – Black & Veatch and Ampaire will work to identify and evaluate opportunities to plan, engineer and construct infrastructure for electric air mobility at airports, working with early adopters in the Americas, Europe and Asia.
According to the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two transportation decarbonization leaders, the global collaboration will focus on creating reliable, clean-energy-powered charging and sustainable aviation fueling supply – at a growing number of airports – leveraging solar, energy storage and the development of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supply chain. The initiative seeks to include broad range of air and ground side stakeholders who will benefit from shared infrastructure and Black & Veatch’s deep knowledge of power and communications infrastructure applied to this innovative industry sector.
"Ampaire is committed to putting zero-emissions aircraft into widespread service by mid-decade. These hybrid-electric aircraft will benefit from the buildout of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and electric charging infrastructure, making zero emission possible for meaningful service range. That’s why we consider this teaming arrangement so important,” said Susan Ying, senior vice president of global partnerships for Ampaire. “Aircraft companies must be involved in defining airport fueling and charging infrastructure. We are therefore very pleased to work with Black & Veatch on this common objective.”
“Governments, companies and communities around the world are making lowering their carbon footprints a priority, and the transportation sector is helping accelerate positive change,” added Paul Stith, Black & Veatch’s associate vice president of global transportation initiatives. “Decarbonization of aviation is challenging and requires technology and collaboration. Tackling emissions with concurrent SAF and electrification strategies offers a shining example of what’s possible in doing things cleaner and greener, and we’re excited about working with Ampaire to reshape tomorrow’s air mobility through infrastructure and innovation.”
Ampaire has been at the forefront of modern air mobility, having flown 481 miles nonstop from Perth, Scotland, to Exeter in southwest England in August of last year with its “Electric EEL” aircraft – a six-seat Cessna, modified with hybrid-electric propulsion. It is to date the longest flight by a commercial-sized, hybrid-electric aircraft.
The promise of electrified air mobility continues to grow, given the environmental benefits, their reduced fuel requirements and maintenance costs, and the sector’s lesser reliance on traditional fuels prone to price and supply fluctuations. While electrification carries vast potential in unleashing a new mobility market, expanding the industry rests significantly on deploying more charging and servicing infrastructure.
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Editor’s Notes:
- During this week’s EVS35 conference in Oslo, Norway, Paul Stith will deliver keynote remarks Tuesday about electrification, including its applications to airports and aviation.
- For more information about Black & Veatch’s expertise in electrification, click here.
About Black & Veatch
Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2021 exceeded US$3.3 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.
About Ampaire
Los Angeles-based Ampaire was formed in 2016 with a mission to become the world’s most-trusted developer of practical, compelling electric aircraft. The company is upgrading existing passenger aircraft to hybrid electric power – the quickest, most capital efficient approach to making commercial electric air travel a reality with available technology. Ampaire has scored a series of industry firsts since the 2019 maiden flight of its Electric EEL technology testbed aircraft. In May 2022, it began ground power runs of its Eco Caravan hybrid-electric upgrade of the Cessna Grand Caravan, slated for certification and service introduction in mid-2024. For more information about Ampaire, click here.
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