DOE Shows Fuel Cells Used in Maritime Applications Can Increase Efficiency by 30%

Recently, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Fuel Cell Technologies Office in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy released a report authored by Sandia National Laboratories detailing the results of a maritime fuel cell generator project. During this project, a first-of-its kind hydrogen fuel cell power generator for marine applications was demonstrated to verify increased energy efficiency at part loads and reduced emissions. The project goals were to demonstrate the use of the generator in the maritime environment, identify areas requiring additional research and development, analyze the business case, and address regulatory and other market barriers. A 100 kW generator with 72 kg of hydrogen storage was designed and built by Hydrogenics with safety and regulatory reviews by the Hydrogen Safety Panel, U.S. Coast Guard, and the American Bureau of Shipping. Project partner Young Brothers operated the generator for 10 months powering refrigerated containers in Honolulu, Hawaii. The project showed that it is possible to increase energy efficiency by up to 30% at part load and reduce emissions to zero through the use of hydrogen fuel cells. The project also identified paths forward to wider adoption of the technology in this sector.