Aerospace giant turns to clean fuel firm ITM Power for its hydrogen technology

The system will be used by EADS’s research arm, Innovation Works, in energy and propulsion projects.

Sheffield-based ITM’s technology makes hydrogen by electrolysis. The Alternative Investment Market-listed company has developed a range of hydrogen generators, with uses ranging from cooking, welding and refuelling.

ITM chief executive Graham Cooley said: “EADS is a very high-quality organisation at the forefront of technology and we are delighted to have forged such a productive relationship.”

The company did not elaborate on the system it sold to the Airbus maker, or the price paid.

Earlier this year it also signed a lease deal for rival aerospace firm Boeing to use its hydrogen generating system in refuelling unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).

The firm is testing a system capable of generating 2.1kg of hydrogen per day.

The Boeing trial aims to generate hydrogen ‘off-grid’ by using electricity generated by solar power, to power aerial drones.

The UAS industry has seen sustained growth in recent years, mainly for military use.

This has extended into civilian applications including border control, coastguard, law enforcement, pipeline and powerline monitoring.

ITM’s products include HFuel, a vehicle refuelling system capable of generating up to 400kg of hydrogen per day from renewable power.

HPac supplies hydrogen to compression systems for energy storage, fuel cells, engines and small industrial sites. HFlame is designed for soldering, cutting and polishing. HBox is an electrolyser designed to produce heat and power inside the home.

The company joined AIM in 2004 but its progress was stunted by the recession.

It has since advanced from a research and development company to a product manufacturer and technology provider, and it has won a number of partnership deals.