Plug Power, a leading provider of turnkey hydrogen solutions for the global green hydrogen economy, today announced the historic flight of a regional airliner powered by the company’s line of ProGen fuel cells.

Led by Universal Hydrogen, the hydrogen fuel cell-powered flying testbed took off at 8:30 a.m. for 15 minutes at Grant County International Airport in Washington state. Reaching an altitude of 3,500 feet MSL, the flight marked a significant milestone for both companies that partnered to make hydrogen-powered aviation a reality.

The 40-passenger airplane’s powertrain is built with Plug’s ProGen that have been adapted for aviation use. Plug’s ProGen fuel cells support light, medium and heavy-duty electric vehicles in asset-intensive applications. They have proven to be ideal because they allow fleets to achieve greater range. Fuel cells are also free of carbon emissions, and weigh and cost less than batteries.