HYSKY Society Shifts H2Hub Summit Focus Amid Federal Uncertainty: Impact on Hydrogen Aviation

With DOE’s Hydrogen Hub funding stalled, the Department of Defense (DoD) is leading the charge in hydrogen aviation and on-site hydrogen production. HYSKY Society’s H2Hub Summit on March 19, 2025, will feature Joby, Piasecki, Heven Drones, and Unither Bioelectronics, showcasing UAVs, eVTOLs, cryogenic LH2, and defense-backed hydrogen projects. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) March 11, 2025 - HYSKY Society has officially revised the agenda for the 2nd Annual H2Hub Summit in response to uncertainty surrounding the Department of Energy’s Hydrogen Hub program. With funding frozen for the DOE-led Hydrogen Hubs, a surprising new reality is emerging: the hydrogen aviation sector may find itself increasingly aligned with the military on clean energy rather than DOE-led initiatives. This shift isn’t due to the Department of Defense (DoD) being overly concerned with the environment, but because on-site hydrogen production from renewables (green hydrogen) is strategically important for military operations. While the DOE Hydrogen Hubs face uncertainty, the Department of Defense and private sector are charging ahead with hydrogen aviation.

H2Hub Summit 2025: Hydrogen's Future
March 19, 2025, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM| Zoom
Register Now https://www.hysky.org/h2hubs

"I once saw the DOE Hydrogen Hubs as the supplier of hydrogen for zero-carbon aviation, and maybe they still will be," said Danielle McLean, CEO of HYSKY Society. "But today, with DOE funding in limbo and key government officials unable to participate, we had to rethink our approach for the H2Hub Summit. Our new agenda will educate attendees on these uncertainties while showcasing the companies proving that hydrogen aviation isn’t waiting for the DOE's Hydrogen Hubs."

The Disconnect: Hydrogen Hubs VS. Hydrogen Aviation

At the Greater Houston Partnership Aviation Committee meeting on February 14, 2025, led by Kevin Tipton, Sr. Director of Aerospace and Aviation at GHP, Dan Elwell, President of Elwell & Associates and former FAA Acting Administrator, presented a Strategic Aerospace Alliance Policy Update on key regulatory developments under the new administration. During the meeting, Danielle McLean, CEO of HYSKY Society, asked Elwell about Washington’s stance on hydrogen aviation. He responded, "It’s very exciting"—a stark contrast to the uncertainty surrounding federally funded hydrogen hubs.

A Two-Part Approach: Education & Industry Leadership

HYSKY’s revised H2Hub Summit agenda now consists of two critical segments:

Understanding the Uncertainty: Experts will break down how the hydrogen hubs were established, what they have accomplished, and their current status. They’ll explain the political and regulatory landscape and how bureaucratic challenges are impacting progress.

The Industry's Plan B: Leading private companies will present real-world advancements that prove hydrogen aviation and hydrogen production are moving forward—independent of DOE funding.

Hydrogen Aviation Takes the Lead

Despite Washington’s turbulence, hydrogen aviation is taking off. Joby Aviation recently completed a record-breaking 523-mile liquid hydrogen-powered eVTOL flight. Unither Bioelectronics and Robinson Helicopter Company have teamed up to develop hydrogen-powered versions of the Robinson R44 and R66 helicopters. Piasecki Aircraft is pioneering hydrogen-powered helicopter technology with its PA-890 eVTOL. Heven Drones just unveiled the Raider, a hydrogen-powered unmanned aerial system (UAS) designed to provide extended flight endurance. Doosan Mobility Innovation, a leader in hydrogen fuel cell drones, continues to expand its impact in aviation, while its subsidiary HyAxiom is delivering advanced hydrogen fuel cell technology, including the PureCell® Model Tri-Gen System, which generates hydrogen, electricity, and heat to support sustainable aviation infrastructure. These developments make one thing clear—while federal uncertainty clouds the hydrogen hub initiative, hydrogen aviation is forging ahead.

The Pentagon: DoD’s Growing Role in Hydrogen

While the Department of Energy's hydrogen hub initiatives face uncertainties, the Department of Defense (DoD) is proactively investing in hydrogen production and aviation to enhance operational capabilities and energy resilience. The U.S. Air Force has awarded $131 million to Joby Aviation, who recently completed a 523-mile hydrogen-powered flight, to deliver electric air taxis to the Air Force and and $37 million to Piasecki Aircraft Corporation to develop a hydrogen-powered PA-890 helicopter.

Hydrogen at the Tactical Edge of Contested Logistics (HyTEC) Project

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), a DoD organization accelerating commercial technology adoption, launched the Hydrogen at the Tactical Edge of Contested Logistics (HyTEC) project. This initiative plans to develop mobile hydrogen generation systems for use in remote or contested environments to reduce reliance on traditional fuel supply chains.

Two companies selected to support DIU’s HyTEC Project

NovaSpark Energy: Hydrogen Out of Thin Air

NovaSpark Energy, awarded a contract by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), is developing a mobile hydrogen generation system to support military operations in remote and contested environments. Using its proprietary “Air-to-Power” technology, NovaSpark extracts water from the air and converts it into hydrogen fuel via electrolysis. This lightweight, deployable system reduces reliance on vulnerable fuel supply chains, aligning with the DoD’s push for energy resilience and sustainable logistics.

Zephyr Flight Labs: Hydrogen Electric sUAS

Zepher Flight Labs is developing hydrogen-powered vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) drones with enhanced endurance and payload capacities. The sUAS is engineered for manufacturability and lifecycle sustainment to create a modular, open architecture platform for rapid deployment, rapid refueling, rapid configuration changes, and rapid repair. It is manufactured with a DOD compliant supply chain.

Hydrogen Aviation and the Military Connection

This trend suggests that while DOE’s hydrogen hub program remains in limbo, the DoD sees hydrogen as a critical component of future military operations. With investments in hydrogen-powered drones, helicopters, and mobile fuel production units, the Pentagon is shaping the trajectory of hydrogen development in ways that could outpace traditional clean energy policies.

The growing involvement of the DoD in hydrogen technology raises important questions about the direction of U.S. hydrogen funding. If defense funding for hydrogen accelerates faster than energy-sector investment, it could mean a shift away from centralized DOE-led projects and toward decentralized, defense-driven hydrogen infrastructure. It can start with small projects like mobile hydrogen production out of thin air, like NovaSpark Energy is developing, and scale.

For hydrogen aviation, this could be a game-changer. HYSKY Society CEO, Danielle McLean said in a recent statement, "With companies like Piasecki Aircraft, Joby Aviation, Heven Drones, Doosan, and NovaSpark Energy already working on defense-backed hydrogen innovations,

"The hydrogen aviation sector may find itself increasingly aligned with military on clean energy rather than DOE-led initiatives."

At the H2Hub Summit, these dynamics will take center stage. Attendees will gain exclusive insights into how the DoD is shaping hydrogen's future, why hydrogen aviation is surging ahead, and what this means for the broader hydrogen economy. With Washington in flux, one thing is clear—hydrogen aviation isn’t waiting for DOE funding, and the defense sector may hold the key to its rapid acceleration.

Industry Backing & Event Sponsors

Leybold, H2Hub Summit Title Sponsor, keeps hydrogen in liquid state, a key advancing hydrogen aviation

The H2Hub Summit is backed by leading industry sponsors and supporting organizations that are committed to advancing hydrogen aviation such as Leybold, Heven Drones, AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics), Dynamasys, E&W Law, Hondo Economic Development, HyAxiom (A Doosan Company), Moreton & Company, TO Viridi, and Vertical Flight Society. These partners play a crucial role in driving the future of hydrogen aviation and infrastructure.

This is THE Hydrogen Event That Matters

As the only event addressing both hydrogen hubs and hydrogen aviation in the context of Washington’s evolving policies, the H2Hub Summit is a must-attend for anyone invested in hydrogen’s future.

If you want to understand the reality of what’s happening in Washington and where the industry is truly headed, you need to be there. 👉 Register now: H2Hub Summit – March 19, 2025

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