Universal Hydrogen has signed a "strategic agreement" with Air New Zealand as part of the airline’s Mission Next Gen Aircraft programme.
The announcement followed Brazilian manufacturer Embraer joining the New Zealand programme on February 7.
Universal Hydrogen said it is "developing a solution to convert existing regional airplanes to fly on hydrogen and to supply hydrogen to the fleet using a modular fuelling approach, which eliminates the need for new airport infrastructure, speeds up the fuelling operation, and reduces transfer losses throughout the hydrogen delivery chain".
"Having Universal Hydrogen as one of our long-term partners will grow our collective understanding of zero emissions aircraft technology as it develops and will give them the confidence they are developing a product that’s well-suited for our fleet," said the airline's chief sustainability officer Kiri Hannifin.
“As the second-largest turboprop operator in the world, Air New Zealand is a trendsetter for the industry,” said Paul Eremenko, co-founder and chief executive of Universal Hydrogen. “We fully expect other airlines to follow in Air New Zealand’s footsteps toward a true zero emissions solution for their fleets. We’re thrilled to be selected alongside Air New Zealand’s other long-term partners—Airbus, ATR, Embraer, and Heart Aerospace—to quickly address aviation’s contributions to the climate crisis," he added.