Entering new aviation markets to pioneer sustainable power, Rolls-Royce announced that it will develop energy storage systems (ESS) that will enable aircraft to perform zero-emission flights over 160 kilometers on a single charge.
Rolls-Royce plans to invest a total of £80 million in ESS over the next 10 years to provide this breakthrough technology. It has been stated that with the investments to be made, the company will create approximately 300 jobs by 2030, thus positioning it as the leading supplier of all-electric and hybrid-electric power and propulsion systems in the aviation industry.
Rolls-Royce’s aerospace-certified ESS solutions and electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems for eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing) in the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) market and fixed-wing
Rob Watson, Director, Rolls-Royce Electrical, said: “The millions of pounds invested by Rolls-Royce over the next 10 years are a testament to our commitment to our electrification goals. Thanks to our investments, we are now developing a portfolio of energy storage solutions that complement our electric drive systems. This portfolio will enable us to offer our customers a complete electric propulsion system on the platforms they use, whether eVTOL or short-haul aircraft. This will also allow us to be the ‘one-stop shop’ for highly exciting all-electric or hybrid electric propulsion systems as new markets develop.”
It was stated that Rolls-Royce has been providing battery solutions for many years with the technologies it has developed and has designed 10 different aviation battery systems using the most advanced cell technologies. It is stated that four of these batteries have already been used in three aircraft and have gained more than 250 hours of flight experience, and the other two batteries will complete their first flight in 2021. It was announced that these battery systems designed by Rolls-Royce also include a battery developed with Electroflight, the British production partner of the company in the ACCEL program, where the “Spirit of Innovation” aircraft, which aims to be the fastest all-electric aircraft in the world, is developed. In this context, the company stated that the initial research and technology it committed to develop both ACCEL and the industry-leading ESS were supported by the UK Government through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI). In addition, Rolls-Royce stated that it works closely with WMG Warwick University on its research partner High Value Manufacturing Catapult, which has gained vast knowledge and experience during its support to the automotive and other industries in order to develop energy storage technologies.
In the statement, it was stated that the design of the battery pack is a challenging task in terms of mechanical, thermal and enclosure/protection, with a heavy focus on safety and low weight. It was stated that these issues are at the center of all the products developed and designed by Rolls-Royce, which has a long production history in the field of aviation. With these considerations, Rolls-Royce explained that it has positioned itself perfectly in the industry to deliver industry-leading solutions.
In addition, it was stated that Rolls-Royce is working with Scandinavia’s largest regional airline, Widerøe, to develop an all-electric passenger plane for the short-haul market, scheduled for commissioning in 2026, with airframe manufacturer Tecnam. As part of this partnership, it was stated that Rolls-Royce will provide the all-electric propulsion system, including the energy storage system, for the new P-VOLT aircraft.