As the world moves toward a greener future, many sustainable technology options that dominate the news involve electric cars and eco-friendly home appliances. However, one field in particular is making large strides toward sustainability: the aviation industry.

The transition to renewable energy sources for planes is crucial for curtailing global warming. In the United States (US), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reported that commercial airplanes and large business jets create 10 percent of transportation emissions. The journal Atmospheric Environment concluded that the aviation industry contributes to 3.5 percent of global warming, and this increasing rate would result in aviation emissions tripling by 2050.

To reduce the amount of emissions from commercial aircraft, the US-based company ZeroAvia created the world’s first zero-emission planes for commercial flying purposes. ZeroAvia’s planes have hydrogen-electric engines that have up to 60 times lower cycling costs and greater specific energy than a traditional aircraft engine. The hydrogen-electric engines operate when hydrogen and oxygen from the atmosphere go into the fuel cells. Then, the hydrogen and oxygen are made into electricity via an electrochemical reaction. This method powers the planes with the byproducts only being water and heat, which is a stark contrast to the polluting byproducts in traditional planes (such as carbon dioxide).

ZeroAvia’s plan is to commercially offer planes in 2025 and eventually reach over 200 seats with a 5,000 nautical mile range by 2040. According to AXON Aviation, the average long-haul traditional plane can cover around 8,000 nautical miles; while ZeroAvia’s nautical mile count is less, it is still enough to fly most medium-haul and some long-haul trips. This progress at a relatively quick rate is also very promising for the future of sustainable aviation. The goal of a 200-seat count for ZeroAvia is very comparable to many traditional planes, with the Boeing 737 plane family averaging a similar number depending on the model.

This month, ZeroAvia announced that it raised $116 million USD to fund this ongoing plan. PR Newswire reported that the United Kingdom Infrastructure Bank invested heavily in ZeroAvia during this round of funding, which shows that governments are leaning towards sustainable aviation.

Val Miftakhov, the founder of ZeroAvia, expressed the importance of hydrogen-electric plane engines and why they should be funded in an interview with TIME Magazine.