SAFRAN POWER UNITS

Their core work

Safran Power Units, part of the Safran aerospace group, designs and manufactures auxiliary power units (APUs) and emergency power systems for aircraft. Within H2020, they have focused on advancing next-generation aircraft power solutions, including hydrogen fuel cell systems as replacements for conventional emergency power units like ram air turbines. They bring deep aerospace integration expertise, combining fuel cell technology development with aircraft-level demonstration and certification readiness. Their work bridges the gap between hydrogen energy research and real-world aviation safety-critical applications.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their early H2020 involvement (2014-2018) centered on conventional large passenger aircraft programs through the Clean Sky 2 framework, contributing their established expertise in aircraft power systems. From 2018 onward, a decisive shift occurred: they took the coordinator role on FLHYSAFE, pivoting toward hydrogen fuel cell technology as a disruptive replacement for traditional emergency power units. Their most recent project (GAM-2020-LPA) shows they maintain their position in large aircraft demonstrator platforms while their strategic direction clearly points toward hydrogen-electric aviation systems.

Safran Power Units is transitioning from conventional aircraft power systems toward hydrogen-based emergency and auxiliary power, positioning themselves at the intersection of aerospace safety and clean energy propulsion.

How they like to work

They operate as both a project leader and a strong consortium partner, coordinating FLHYSAFE while contributing to two large Clean Sky 2 demonstrator programs. With 80 unique partners across 13 countries from just 3 projects, they work in large, multi-national consortia typical of major aerospace programs. This reflects their role as a tier-1 aerospace supplier — well-connected, experienced in complex multi-partner coordination, and comfortable both leading focused research efforts and integrating into large-scale demonstration platforms.

Extensive network of 80 partners across 13 countries built through large aerospace consortia. Their reach spans the major European aerospace nations, reflecting Safran Group's established position in the continental aviation supply chain.

What sets them apart

Safran Power Units occupies a rare niche: they are one of very few organizations globally with both deep expertise in aircraft emergency power systems and active investment in hydrogen fuel cell replacements for those same systems. This means they understand exactly what a fuel cell must deliver in terms of safety, weight, reliability, and certification — because they already build the conventional systems being replaced. For consortium builders, they offer a credible path from laboratory fuel cell research to flight-ready, certified aviation hardware.

Highlights from their portfolio

• FLHYSAFE
  Coordinator role developing a hydrogen fuel cell system to replace conventional ram air turbines — a potentially disruptive change in aircraft emergency power with EUR 1.9M EC funding.
• GAM-2020-LPA
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 5.7M) in a major Clean Sky 2 large passenger aircraft demonstrator integrating innovative propulsion, fuselage, wing, and cabin concepts.