Los Angeles-based aviation and aerospace company Universal Hydrogen announced Feb. 1 that it signed a letter of intent with French aeronautical group Amelia by Regourd Aviation, to work on the decarbonization of its aircraft fleet.
Per the LOI, Paris-based Amelia agrees to buy three ATR 72-600 hydrogen conversion kits as the airline aims to decrease its carbon output while carrying out domestic air service, according to a Universal Hydrogen press release.
“France has been a global leader in driving sustainability goals in its transportation networks, and this important step demonstrates that regional aviation has a bright future as part of the solution rather than part of the problem,” Universal Hydrogen co-founder and CEO Paul Eremenko said in the release.
Amelia’s commitment to using green hydrogen on its planes “is a harbinger of a true-zero-emissions future for regional aviation,” Eremenko added.
In November 2021, Amelia, Universal Hydrogen’s first France-based airline customer, announced an initiative to develop sustainable efforts in the aviation industry, the release stated.
Once the conversion kits are installed, the two companies will sign an agreement that calls on Universal Hydrogen to supply Amelia’s ATR fleet with sufficient hydrogen fuel on an ongoing basis, according to the release.
"After launching ‘Amelia Green,’ we proactively sought out companies to work with to decarbonize our fleet,” Amelia President, Alain Regourd said in the release. “With the help of Universal Hydrogen, Amelia is leading the way in zero-carbon aircraft and becoming a bellwether for sustainability in the French aviation industry.”
Founded by Regourd in 1976, Amelia flies to more than 500 destinations with an average flight time of 90 minutes, the release stated.