Zero-emission aviation pioneer ZeroAvia has chosen Scotland as the site for a flagship Hydrogen Centre of Excellence and manufacturing facility, promising a game-changing boost for the country’s green economy. The new site will rise near Glasgow Airport in Renfrewshire and is expected to create up to 350 skilled jobs, supported by a £9 million grant from Scottish Enterprise.
This strategic expansion is part of the company’s global push to scale production of its hydrogen-electric propulsion systems, with nearly 3,000 orders already locked in from airlines and aircraft manufacturers. Those deals translate into a future revenue pipeline of more than $10 billion.
Inside the Hydrogen Centre of Excellence
The new Scottish facility will serve as ZeroAvia’s primary production site for high-temperature PEM (HTPEM) fuel cell stacks — critical components of its hydrogen-electric powertrains. These systems are designed to replace fossil-fuel engines in regional aircraft, marking a major stride toward decarbonised air travel.
The Renfrewshire base will complement the company’s:
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Propulsion Centre of Excellence in Washington State (USA), focused on electric motors and power electronics.
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R&D and aircraft testing site at Cotswold Airport in Gloucestershire, which is also expanding.
ZeroAvia’s global infrastructure reflects a rapid commercial push following successful flight tests — including the world’s first hydrogen-electric flight of a commercial-scale aircraft in 2020, and a larger aircraft flight in 2023.
Funding: A Mix of Public and Private Backing
The Scottish Government’s financial package is one piece of a much larger puzzle.
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£9 million from Scottish Enterprise via Regional Selective Assistance (RSA).
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£20 million from the Scottish National Investment Bank in Series C equity funding.
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£32 million from the UK National Wealth Fund as a cornerstone Series C investor.
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£10.5 million in UK Government funding for HTPEM development via the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI).
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£18.5 million total UK R&D grants since 2019.
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Over $250 million in private capital raised globally.
The Series C funding round was led by industry heavyweights Airbus, Barclays Sustainable Impact Capital, and the NEOM Investment Fund — underlining strong confidence in ZeroAvia’s market readiness.
Political Unity Behind the Project
In a rare moment of cross-government alignment, both Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and UK Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray appeared together at Glasgow Airport to officially launch the project.
John Swinney said:
“Scotland has the skills, the talent and the innovation to be at the forefront of efforts to tackle the climate emergency… ZeroAvia’s decision to establish a base here is the perfect illustration of Scotland’s growing reputation in the global transition to net zero.”
Ian Murray added:
“This is exactly the kind of innovation the UK should be leading… a massive vote of confidence in Scotland’s workforce and the strength of the UK’s clean tech ecosystem.”
Economic Impact and Net Zero Alignment
With the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) now home to ZeroAvia’s plant, the government is betting big on Scotland as a hydrogen and aerospace innovation hub.
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350 new jobs projected over several years.
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Major private investment unlocked, reinforcing Scotland’s appeal for high-tech manufacturing.
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Strategic alignment with the UK and Scottish net zero goals — including Scotland’s ambition to pioneer zero-emission commercial flight by 2040.
Industry Outlook
ZeroAvia is one of the world’s leading players in zero-emission aviation, competing alongside rivals like Universal Hydrogen, Rolls-Royce, and Airbus itself (a key investor). Its hydrogen-electric engines are seen as a critical enabler of sustainable regional flight, with a focus on 9–19 seat aircraft in the near term, scaling up to larger platforms by the 2030s.
According to founder and CEO Val Miftakhov:
“The aviation industry is on the cusp of the biggest transformation since the jet age. With this new facility, Scotland has a big role to play in driving that transformation.”
What’s Next?
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The manufacturing facility build is expected to begin within months.
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Production ramp-up will be tied to the regulatory certification of ZeroAvia’s engines, now well underway.
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Expect supply chain development, training programmes, and academic partnerships in the Glasgow region as the project scales.
Snapshot: ZeroAvia in Numbers
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Powertrain pre-orders | ~3,000 |
| Future revenue pipeline | $10+ billion |
| R&D funding (UK) | £18.5 million since 2019 |
| Scottish Enterprise grant | £9 million |
| New jobs created | 350 (projected) |
| Total Series C funding | Over $100 million |
| UK National Wealth Fund stake | £32 million |
