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Batteries can provide the vessel with power from stored energy, but they soon run out of juice and need to be recharged in order to keep working. In hybrid power designs, where an on-board generator charges batteries, they can play a significant role.
Hydrogen-fuelled fuel cells are an effective, green, zero-emission direct current (DC) power source that have been used in heavy-duty bus, truck, and train systems and are currently being developed for marine applications. Water vapour and a little amount of heat are the only emissions from a fuel cell.
In an effort to increase sustainability in the industry, Nuvera Fuel Cells and H2Boat are collaborating to create a hydrogen-based zero-emission energy system for marine vessels.
An E-45 engine from Nurvera, a manufacturer of heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell engines, will be added to H2Boat’s HP Energy Pack. The Nuvera E-Series fuel cell engines will be used by H2Boat to increase the scope of its marine product offering.
H2Boat, an Italian company, was established in 2020 to advance marine hydrogen technology. It is a division of Bluenergy Revolution, an Italian business based at the University of Genoa that specializes in metal hydride, electrolyzer, and fuel cell system research and development.
All American Marine, Inc. (AAM) and the ship’s owner SWITCH Maritime (SWITCH) are excited to introduce Sea Change, a 70-foot, 75-passenger ferry that will run in the California Bay Area using hydrogen fuel cells to generate zero emissions.
This will be the first passenger ferry powered by a hydrogen fuel cell that is used for commercial purposes, marking a significant advancement in the US maritime industry’s transition to a sustainable future. The ferry was designed and built to show how zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell marine technologies could be commercialised.
The finished ferry will demonstrate the viability of this zero-carbon ship propulsion technology for the commercial and regulatory communities, even though work is still being done to obtain US Coast Guard approval for hydrogen fuel systems for maritime vessels.
The ship is outfitted with a hydrogen fuel cell power package from Zero Emissions Industries (previously Golden Gate Zero Emission Marine), which is made up of 360 kW of Cummins fuel cells and 246 kg of Hexagon hydrogen storage tanks.
This system incorporates a 2x 300 kW electric propulsion system from BAE Systems and a 100 kWh lithium-ion battery from XALT. With no emissions and less maintenance, the hydrogen fuel cell powertrain system offers the same operational flexibility as diesel.
Incat Crowther is the designer of the vessel, and Hornblower Group is in charge of overseeing and managing the construction process.
A new test area for marine hydrogen fuel cells has been established in Norway by battery technology company Corvus Energy. According to a statement on the company’s website, the new test area is located at the company’s production facility in Bergen.
Toyota is a significant partner and supplier of fuel cell technology for the company as it develops large-scale, maritime-certified hydrogen fuel cell systems.
The development of fuel cell systems for marine applications is already underway, and Rolls-Royce Power Systems will introduce its own mtu fuel cell systems for main propulsion and on-board power generation starting in 2028. Hydrogen-powered fuel cells do not emit any harmful gases, such as CO2, nitrogen oxides, or particulates.
Due to the necessary methanol reformer, fuel cells powered by green methanol emit only a small amount of CO2, but this amount is equal to that which was previously bound in the e-methanol, making them operate in a CO2-neutral manner.
Additionally advantageous features that make fuel cell systems interesting for shipping are their low noise and vibration emissions as well as their extremely high efficiency.
Nowadays, hydrocarbons comprising fossil sources, such as petroleum and natural gas products, make up the majority of maritime fuels.
The first focus of hydrogen and fuel cells in maritime applications must be on vessels or applications with specified routes or locations of operation because the fuel supply and infrastructure are still in their infancy.
With this emphasis, we can avoid the complexity and subpar ROI of a widely spread fuel supply with (initially) low throughput and utilisation. The infrastructure and fuel supply will be intelligently built together with the market.
ABB is a leading mobiliser of the equipment in the market. The latest integration has been the transportable power supply system called the fuel cell solution was created for marine use. The hydrogen proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells serve as the system’s foundation.
The fuel cell technology can be used with batteries or engines and is suited to high and low voltage, AC and DC power systems. The system can be integrated into a hybrid power system or run entirely on hydrogen energy.
Ballard is part of the component manufacture trending companies in the current industry. The Ballard fuel cells are indeed a modular, zero-emission, high-efficiency, minimal source of renewable energy that are anticipated to play a significant role in the future.
For ferries and other vessels, it is anticipated that a hybrid power system architecture made up of fuel cells and batteries will be employed. Depending on the vessel, route, and timetable, the fuel cell to battery power ratio will change.
It is possible to construct hybrid systems with batteries that are sized for transient power requirements and fuel cells that operate in steady state.
