ZeroAvia announced Thursday that it has been selected to receive a €21.4 million grant from the European Union’s Innovation Fund to support Project ODIN—Operations to Decarbonize Interconnectivity in Norway. The project will retrofit 15 Cessna Caravan aircraft with ZeroAvia’s ZA600 hydrogen-electric engines and establish hydrogen refueling and storage infrastructure at 15 Norwegian airports. Operations are expected to begin in 2028, creating what the company describes as the world’s first and largest network of zero-emission commercial flights.
According to ZeroAvia, the aircraft will replace conventional kerosene-fueled turboprops on regional cargo routes and are expected to achieve more than a 95 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The project is recognized by the European Commission as part of its Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP), earning the STEP Seal for its contribution to advancing critical clean technologies.
“This project will set a phenomenal example by introducing a scaled network of hydrogen-electric aircraft operations, efficiently delivering vital goods to people and businesses across Norway without the typical associated environmental damage,” said ZeroAvia founder and CEO Val Miftakhov.
The Innovation Fund is financed by revenues from the EU Emissions Trading System. ZeroAvia’s ZA600 generates electricity from hydrogen using fuel cells, emitting only low-temperature water vapor. The company has already conducted flight tests of a prototype system and is working with the UK Civil Aviation Authority and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on certification for its final design.
