Low emission specialist ZeroAvia is establishing a research and development facility at California's Stockton Metropolitan airport, focused on liquid hydrogen refuelling. In February 2025, the board of supervisors approved the lease for ZeroAvia to move into Stockton Metropolitan, paving the way for the company to begin operations at the facility.

“The arrival of ZeroAvia at Stockton Metropolitan Airport is a positive step forward for our airport and the entire Stockton region,” says Richard Sokol, airport director. “As we look toward the future of aviation, we recognise the importance of supporting and collaborating with companies that are making tangible strides in green energy. ZeroAvia's work will contribute to a more sustainable transportation industry, and we look forward to supporting its work here at Stockton.”

"Stockton Metropolitan Airport provides us with an excellent environment to continue our work on liquid hydrogen refuelling systems for hydrogen aircraft in California,” adds Val Miftakhov, ZeroAvia CEO. “Along with high temperature fuel cells and advanced electric motors, liquid hydrogen systems are a critical building block for scaling hydrogen-electric engines into ever larger aircraft. We are leading the innovation in all three areas to deliver a clean future of flight, and our work in Stockton will be a key part of realising that mission.”

ZeroAvia will progress its California Energy Commission-supported project to design, build and test first-of-a-kind rapid liquid hydrogen (LH2) refuelling vehicles for aviation and other heavy-duty applications. The CEC-funded project advances the commercial viability of liquid hydrogen fuelled aircraft by supporting advancements in energy performance, cost efficiency and refuelling speed.

ZeroAvia is a leader in developing hydrogen-electric and electric aviation solutions to make air travel more sustainable. The company has flown multiple testbed aircraft retrofit with hydrogen and electric powertrains, including in California, and has recently reached a major FAA milestone relating to its 600kW electric propulsion system.