SAFRAN ELECTRICAL & POWER

Their core work

Safran Electrical & Power (formerly Labinal) is a major division of the Safran Group specializing in electrical wiring systems, power distribution, and electrical conversion for aerospace applications. They design and manufacture aircraft electrical networks, power electronics, generators, and starter systems used in commercial and military aviation. Within H2020, they contribute deep industrial expertise in aircraft electrification — from HVDC power architectures to wide band gap semiconductor integration — working primarily through Clean Sky 2 and other large-scale aviation demonstration programs.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2014–2017), Safran Electrical & Power was involved in broad systems-level demonstrators (SYS GAM, LPA GAM) and explored high-power electric propulsion for space (DEMOCRITOS), alongside foundational work on power electronic converters (I2MPECT) and powerplant integration (NIPSE). From 2017 onward, their focus sharpened decisively toward aircraft electrification — HVDC/LVDC network architectures, power electronics based on wide band gap semiconductors (WInSiC4AP), and hybrid electric propulsion (IMOTHEP, ORCHESTRA). The trajectory is clear: from general aerospace electrical systems toward the specific technologies needed for more-electric and hybrid-electric aircraft.

Safran Electrical & Power is positioning itself at the center of the more-electric aircraft transition, building deep capability in HVDC architectures and power electronics that will be essential for next-generation aviation platforms.

How they like to work

Safran Electrical & Power operates predominantly as a participant or third party (11 of 13 projects), contributing specialized industrial capability to large consortia rather than leading them. Their two coordinator roles (VOLT, ISG) were in focused Clean Sky 2 projects close to their core product lines. With 201 unique partners across 19 countries, they maintain an exceptionally broad network — characteristic of a Tier 1 aerospace supplier embedded in the European aviation research ecosystem.

A wide-reaching network of 201 unique consortium partners spanning 19 countries, reflecting their position as a key supplier in the European aerospace supply chain. Their partnerships are concentrated in transport and aviation but extend into space and digital electronics sectors.

What sets them apart

As a division of Safran Group — one of Europe's largest aerospace manufacturers — they bring industrial-scale production capability and certification expertise that most research partners cannot. They sit at the intersection of power electronics research and aircraft-ready hardware, meaning they can take laboratory concepts through to flight-qualified products. For consortium builders, partnering with them signals a credible path from TRL 4-5 research to actual deployment on commercial aircraft platforms.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SYS GAM 2018
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 5.9M) — a flagship Clean Sky 2 systems integration demonstrator for next-generation aircraft.
• ORCHESTRA
  Directly targets optimized electric network architectures for more-electric aircraft, representing the convergence of their recent expertise areas.
• IMOTHEP
  Addresses hybrid electric propulsion maturation across aircraft size classes — positions Safran in the critical path toward decarbonized aviation.