ULEMCo, Teesside International Airport, RAF Leeming, and Newcastle University are collaborating to extend the adoption of H2 fuel in another specialist vehicle type: airport ground support vehicles. Project ZeHyDA (Zero emission Hydrogen Demonstration for Airport applications) will convert a base aircraft tow tug vehicle to an electric hybrid running with a 100% hydrogen zero-emission combustion engine. This will demonstrate the significant reduction in CO₂ emissions that can be achieved from these hard-working vehicles.

This is the ULEMCo's first mobile application of the zero-emission hydrogen engine technology that it announced in 2019, when it was tested for static generators. The project will enable the engine to work with an electric drivetrain system, and to be demonstrated as part of the Tees Valley Hydrogen Transport Hub in ground support vehicles, alongside work to assess the wider opportunity for use of hydrogen at airports and in the region.

ULEMCo will perform laboratory testing of a large engine conversion that will be suitable for the 7.5 t ground support trucks that also work at airports. This will be part of a demonstration of the flexibility of hydrogen combustion technologies, and their ability to decarbonise a wide range of heavy-duty vehicle applications cost effectively. The tests, being assessed with the collaboration of Newcastle University, will show that an engine of this size can be configured to meet the real-world duty cycle requirements of the application, at the same time as delivering no harmful air quality emissions. This is essential in delivering both zero carbon emissions and reducing the impact of combustion engines on health.