Shipping Industry Unveils Fuel Cell Pilot Project to Reduce Emissions 40% or More

(Fuel cell solution on board an Odfjell ship; credit: Odfjell)

by | Oct 2, 2020

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(Fuel cell solution on board an Odfjell ship; credit: Odfjell)

Partners from shipping, R&D and oil and gas are constructing a pilot system for technology that can use multiple types of fuel, including green ammonia and liquefied natural gas (LNG). With this flexibility, vessels can choose fuel according to availability, which could help reduce emissions. Such new and flexible fuel cell technology for the shipping industry can help reduce emissions from shipping by 40% to 100%, according to the companies involved.

Partners in the pilot project include Odfjell (leadership in global shipping), Prototech (fuel cell technology), Wärtsilä (maritime technology and energy) and Lundin Energy Norway (oil and gas).

“Our tests show a CO2 reduction of as much as 40-45% when using LNG, compared to current solutions,” says Bernt Skeie, CEO of Prototech. “Increased efficiency and reduced fuel consumption also provide significant cost savings, and the ship will be able to sail significantly longer on the same amount of energy. The system will also be ready to operate completely emission-free from the locations where, for instance, ammonia is available for bunkering.”

The technology enables direct capture of CO2, another alternative for emission-free operation when logistics for CO2 management become available, Skeie adds.

The shipping industry accounts for between two percent and three percent of global GHG emissions, wrote the World Economic Forum. The industry is responsible for 90% of world trade by volume.

 

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