University of Illinois and GenH2 partner on liquid hydrogen aviation research

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and GenH2 Corp. have entered into a partnership to advance research into liquid hydrogen (LH2) technologies for next-generation aviation. As part of the agreement, GenH2 will provide the university with a lab-scale hydrogen liquefier.

This equipment will allow researchers at the university’s Center for Sustainable Aviation to produce liquid hydrogen on-site. This capability is intended to facilitate the testing of storage, transport, and propulsion technologies for zero-emission aircraft. The ability to generate hydrogen locally aims to overcome historical challenges regarding the limited access and storage of liquid hydrogen for laboratory research.

Hydrogen is viewed as a critical pathway for decarbonizing the aviation sector due to its higher energy density compared to traditional battery technology.