A joint development agreement has been signed between Alma Clean Power, Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies and Hydrogenious LOHC Maritime for the development of a fully integrated Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier-Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (LOHC-SOFC) power system for the Enova-supported project HyNjord.
The team will focus on developing a 100KW pilot powertrain which will subsequently be demonstrated on board the Edda Ferd, an offshore supply vessel operated by Østensjø Rederi.
The agreement is also expected to open up options for hydrogen-powered vessels on a megawatt-scale in the coming years. The innovation combines hydrogen release from the LOHC with direct conversion into power by an adjacent SOFC unit, with the benefit of high efficiency. This is made possible by using the SOFC device’s excess heat to meet the LOHC release unit’s heat demand. Hydrogenious’s LOHC solution is stated to be a simple and safe method for handling hydrogen as a fuel, supporting the decarbonization of the maritime sector.
“With this partnership, we leverage synergies between Alma’s SOFC solution and our LOHC technology and take the next milestone in pioneering the use of hydrogen as a safe and efficient zero emission fuel to ships,” said Dr Daniel Teichmann, CEO and founder of Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies.
Øystein Skår, general manager at Hydrogenious LOHC Maritime, said, “Our goal is to develop a zero-emission power solution for shipping, and with this agreement we join forces to combine the LOHC technology with SOFC technology to develop an efficient way to produce power on board ships without emissions.”
“We’re very excited about this partnership, since it will allow us to develop and realize an integrated LOHC-SOFC system, which combines safe release of hydrogen from an easy-to-handle energy carrier with a fuel cell of high electrical efficiency,” explained the head of on-board technology at Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies, Dr Holger Buech. “More than that, we will lift a special technological treasure by integrating the systems regarding their heat balances, thereby creating a thermal yin and yang of hydrogen technology.”
Instead of using gaseous or liquified hydrogen, hydrogen is chemically bound to the carrier material, benzyl toluene – a thermal oil. Hydrogenious LOHC Maritime uses this LOHC technology to assemble and market LOHC-fuel cell powertrains for vessels which deliver safety and handling advantages for shipping. The hydrogen is directly released on board from the LOHC in fuel cell grade.
“The introduction of LOHC into the Alma world underpins our multi-fuel strategy, adding one more fuel on our list of opportunities for decarbonization of the shipping industry,” commented Torleif Stokke, head of commercialization at Alma Clean Power.
“Combining LOHC with our SOFC systems is an excellent way to make the best out of green hydrogen. The LOHC technology offers a safe means of transporting and storing hydrogen on ships, pushing the boundaries for using hydrogen effectively also in deep-sea shipping. Combined with our high-temperature SOFC technology, we can ensure high energy efficiency with zero emission operations. We’re excited to partner with Hydrogenious on such an important project, enabling this ground-breaking technology to reach the market and support shipowners on their decarbonization journey.”
