To reduce its climate impact, the aviation industry requires clean technologies and tools to limit carbon dioxide emissions. As the pressure on the industry to take action increases, disruptive technologies for low‑emission aircraft such as high‑power/energy dense batteries, hydrogen systems, electric propulsion systems and novel aircraft configurations need to be developed.
The National Research Council of Canada's (NRC) Low‑emission Aviation program will transform the Canadian aviation sector's decarbonization transition by developing fast, market‑ready, sustainable solutions, establishing a collaborative ecosystem that will stimulate the aviation industry's green transition and support other government departments in developing green technology policies and regulations.
Research areas
Aircraft technology integration ‑ Develop, optimize and integrate low‑carbon technologies safely into aviation applications. This will focus on non‑conventional aircraft configuration and novel materials to reduce the overall energy demand of the aircraft as well as conduct full‑scale demonstrations on electric and hydrogen propulsion systems.
Electrical systems ‑ Overcome technological and economical barriers in electrical systems (motors, generators, controllers, cables, etc.) and thermal management in order to allow for the electrification of aircraft propulsion systems that will require operations at high power (megawatts) and voltages.
Hydrogen applications - Develop lightweight and safe hydrogen storage solutions with fast‑fueling infrastructure, integration of fuel cells into aircraft propulsion system, and technologies required for safe and efficient utilization of hydrogen and low‑carbon fuels for combustion in aircraft gas turbines.
Battery safety - Develop battery safety technologies that are optimized to provide the energy density requirements for aircraft applications.
Collaborate with us
Collaborate with us on strategic R&D projects to limit airlines' considerable impact on the environment and to help de‑risk technologies such as electrification, hydrogen and non‑conventional aircraft configurations to safely implement them into commercial operation.
Collaborator benefits
The NRC is a major global player in aviation, with a strong supply chain ranging from aircraft and engine OEMs to major international airlines. The NRC will help your organization access unique expertise in low‑emission aviation and state‑of‑the‑art research facilities. We also provide a unique multi‑disciplinary approach to advance technologies on many other fronts such as materials, manufacturing, aerodynamics, novel propulsion system, sensor developments, battery technologies, digitization, artificial intelligence, certification and testing.
Our experts can help in many areas to meet emerging industry needs, such as:
- autonomous aerial mobility
- digital twins
- artificial intelligence
- additive/subtractive manufacturing
- non‑conventional configurations
- aerodynamics
- propulsion systems
- hydrogen power (combustion and fuel cells)
- battery and fuel cell development
- sensor development
- testing and certification
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Contact us
To discuss your project or find out more about how we can support your business, contact:
Business Development Team
Aerospace Research Centre
Targeted industries
Battery suppliers, battery management systems, thermal management, fuel cells, motors, power electronics, superconductors, power‑train integration, modelling and simulation, metallic, composite and hybrid structure manufacturers.