Japanese conglomerate ITOCHU Corporation invest in and partnership with hydrogen aviator ZeroAvia

ITOCHU Corporation has invested in ZeroAvia, Inc. which develops and manufactures hydrogen-electric engines. ZeroAvia appointed ITOCHU as a sales representative in Asia, and an MOU was also signed with ZeroAvia regarding collaborations in multiple fields, including maintenance, airport infrastructure and hydrogen infrastructure in the region.

There are expected to be approximately 44,000 commercial aircraft in 2042 (1.6 times the number in 2023).* With the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) announcing their goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, the decarbonization of the aviation industry is an international challenge and, to solve the issue, new technologies in addition to SAF, such as hydrogen aircraft, are necessary.

ZeroAvia develops and manufactures hydrogen-electric engines with a much lower environmental impact than conventional jet-fueled engines. The company successfully demonstrated that a 19-seat Dornier 228 can fly powered by it in January 2023, and is aiming to obtain the certification of engines for small aircraft (9-19 passengers) by 2025, regional aircraft (40-80 passengers) by 2027 and single-aisle aircraft (200 passengers) by 2032. The company works with several partners, including aircraft manufacturers, energy companies and airports, and has secured nearly 2,000 engine pre-orders from major airlines worldwide.

ITOCHU aims to contribute to a sustainable society by working to decarbonize the aviation industry through its investment in and collaboration with ZeroAvia.