UK-based global major industrial technology group Rolls-Royce has reported that its hybrid-electric aero power and propulsion technology demonstrator, Power Generation System 1 (PGS1) had reached and passed the milestone of delivering more than 1 MW of power. This had been achieved only weeks after the start of the testing programme.

“We’ve made a tremendous start to testing – reaching a megawatt is a great achievement,” enthused Rolls-Royce Aviation Futures Chief Project Engineer Adam Newman. “Now we want to go further and see what we can ultimately achieve.”

PGS1 is being run on the company’s recently renovated Testbed 108 at its Bristol facility in the UK. The aim of the test programme is for PGS1 to deliver up to 2.5 MW of power.

“Our [electrical] generator is about the size of a beer keg, yet it has already produced enough electricity to continuously power around 1 000 homes – that is really taking technology to new levels,” he highlighted.  

The project is a significant part of the group’s sustainability strategy, part of which is the development of new and innovative propulsion and power systems. PGS1 is intended to prove technology for future hybrid-electric regional aircraft. The generator could also be used in larger aircraft as part of a ‘more-electric’ system, as well as in ground-based applications.

The PGS1 system includes the generator and a Rolls-Royce (North America) AE2100 turboprop engine, as well as a specialist control system and a thermal management system. The design, manufacture and testing of the generator, electric motor and power electronics were carried out by Rolls-Royce Electrical Norway in Trondheim.

The development of PGS1 and the renovation of Testbed 108 were both supported by the MegaFlight project of the UK Aerospace Technology Institute (a Public Private Partnership between UK government and industry). The electrical systems development in Trondheim was supported by the European Union’s Clean Sky 2 programme.