Testing, inspection, and certification company Bureau Veritas has approved Energy Observer Developments’ (EODev) second-generation REXH2 for use by the maritime industry.
The REXH2 is a turnkey power generator developed for the supply of low-carbon electricity on board vessels. Designed around a hydrogen PEM fuel cell, the solution can meet vessel energy requirements ranging from 70kW to approximately 1MW when several REXH2s are installed in parallel.
Approval in principle (AIP) was granted to EODev following an in-depth design review of the system against current classification rules and regulations, which also assessed its compliance with the IGF Code-specific safety regulations for vessels using gases and low-flashpoint fuels. The system also follows BV’s NR 547 classification for the use of fuel cells on board ships.
Having received the AiP, EODev can now begin serial production of the marine power generator. Type approval of the definitive version of the REXH2 is due to be completed by the end of 2022.
Compared with the previous generation, new features of the REXH2 include integration of the cooling and power management system and a complex safety system. This enables naval architects and shipyards to consider the use of the latest power generator on existing ships and new-build vessels.
Collectively, EODev and Bureau Veritas aim to ensure the safe implementation of hydrogen technologies while promoting hydrogen as a viable energy source for maritime decarbonization.
“Energy Observer was the first to install a hydrogen fuel cell on board an ocean-going vessel back in 2017,” said Jeremie Lagarrigue, CEO of EODev. “EODev was then the first company to integrate a more powerful version of its original Range Extender into the Energy Observer catamaran, thanks to collaboration with long-standing hydrogen expert Toyota, in 2019. Then came a fully certified recreational day boat in 2021; and now in 2022 we reach another milestone with the launch of our full-scale serial production of the latest compact, plug-and-play REXH2 that uses Toyota’s latest fuel cell technology.”