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MultiSchiBZ project on SOFCs for onboard clean power for ships
NEWS / IN BRIEF the fuel cell is also an important backup safety feature: it ensures reliable power redundancy for navigation, communication, and other important devices independently from the diesel engine.’ ‘Our fuel cell has now become a strong asset onboard more and more professional racing boats, leisure yachts, and sailboats,’ adds Dr Peter Podesser, CEO of SFC Energy. ‘It is small, lightweight, and features excellent power density: boat owners can take along much power at minimum space and weight.’ SFC Energy is a leading provider of direct methanol and hydrogen [December 2018, p13] fuel cells for a wide range of commercial and military, stationary and portable power generation markets [see the feature in January 2013]. The company has sold more than 40 000 DMFCs to date worldwide. The company is headquartered in Brunnthal, near Munich, and operates production facilities in the Netherlands, Romania, and Canada. SFC Energy: www.sfc.com/en Sargo Boats: www.sargoboats.com
MultiSchiBZ project on SOFCs for onboard clean power for ships
T
he new MultiSchiBZ research project in Germany aims to significantly reduce the pollutants and greenhouse gases produced by shipping. Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH is steering a two-phase optimisation and design evolution process for the SchiBZ2 solid oxide fuel cell onboard power generation system, with the longer-term objective of launching commercial applications. The consortium aims to improve the efficiency of shipboard power plants and prevent emissions even when fossil fuels are used, both in berth operations in ports and inland waterways and on the high seas. A further advantage of SOFCs is their almost silent operation. MultiSchiBZ will develop two prototype SOFC systems suitable for practical use, which can be operated with low-sulfur diesel or liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the fuel. A fuel gas generator will convert the fossil fuel into a hydrogen-rich gas for operation in the fuel cells. Key activities include optimising the fuel reforming process to enable the use of fuels such as LNG/natural gas, and the planning and development of power electronics for a decentralised DC microgrid with components formed using innovative materials.
September 2019
The results from and systems developed in two predecessor projects – SchiBZ [FCB, June 2012, p15] and SchiBZ2 [October 2016, p5] – will be used for the development of the technical components. The aim is to optimise the existing components, which have already been tested in the laboratory, further develop them for operation with LNG, and scale them up for the construction and operation of higher-power pilot plants. After the development phase, a demonstration phase is planned in which several fuel cell auxiliary power units (APUs) will be tested onboard ships in real-world operation. The project is managed by thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, and also involves DNV GL, Hülsenbusch Apparatebau GmbH, OWI Öl-Wärme-Institut at RWTH Aachen University, the Institute for Thermodynamics and Institute for Electrical Energy Systems at Leibniz University Hannover, Rosswag GmbH, Sunfire GmbH, the TEC4FUELS competence centre, and the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Center ZBT GmbH. The two-year project, which began in September 2018, is being coordinated by the National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW GmbH) [see also next item], with funding from the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI). thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH: www.thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com MultiSchiBZ: www.e4ships.de/english-1/maritime-shipping/multischibz NOW GmbH: www.now-gmbh.de
Elektra project to build zero-emissions canal pusher boat in Germany
B
erliner Hafen- und Lagerhausgesellschaft mbH (BEHALA) in Germany is constructing what it believes will be the world’s first zeroemissions canal pusher boat. The energy supply onboard the inland waterway transport vessel, called Elektra, will be provided solely by hydrogen, fuel cells, and batteries. Construction is scheduled to commence in October, with completion by the shipyard scheduled for Q4 in 2020. The Elektra will be used primarily for freight transport on the Berlin–Hamburg route and for inner-city services in Berlin. The project is led by the Department of Design and Operation of Maritime Systems (EBMS, under Professor Gerd Holbach) at the Technical University of Berlin, in partnership with port and logistics services provider
IN BRIEF Great Wall Motor plans key automotive hydrogen energy R&D centre in Shanghai Chinese light-truck and SUV maker Great Wall Motor (www.gwm-global.com) has signed an agreement with the local authorities to establish a major R&D centre in the Jiading District of Shanghai, which will develop advanced technologies such as hydrogen energy, related core components, new mobility solutions, and intelligent networks. The new centre will be the company’s largest R&D facility alongside its Hydrogen Energy Technology Center in Baoding, Hebei Province, which opened in June 2018, and offers comprehensive testing and trial production for key components in hydrogen energy and fuel cell electric vehicles. Last year Great Wall joined the Hydrogen Council [FCB, April 2018, p13], and acquired Shanghai Fuel Cell Vehicle Powertrain Co. The company also announced that it would take a stake in the German hydrogen infrastructure consortium H2 Mobility Deutschland [October 2018, p1], although it subsequently decided not to join, following a reorganisation of its hydrogen activities and a stronger focus on the Chinese market [March 2019, p12]. HySpirits project investigates hydrogen as fuel to decarbonise distilling process The HySpirits project in the UK has been awarded £148 600 (US$186 000) in funding by the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to conduct a feasibility study into the development of technology to enable The Orkney Distillery in Scotland to use hydrogen as a fuel to decarbonise the gin distilling process. The project aims to develop a thermal fluid heater system to operate with renewably produced, ‘green’ hydrogen as the combustion fuel within the distilling process, removing the need to use fossil fuels such as kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). HySpirits is led by the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC, www.emec.org.uk), working with Orkney Distilling Ltd (www. orkneydistilling.com), the site selected for hydrogen fuel integration, and Edinburgh Napier University (https://tinyurl.com/napier-energy), which will assess the distillery site and develop the hydrogen system design and specification. EMEC is involved in several hydrogen and fuel cell projects in the Orkney archipelago, including Surf ’n’ Turf [see the News Feature in FCB, October 2017] and BIG HIT [News Feature in October 2016, and June 2018, p8], as well as the recently launched Integrating Tidal Energy into the European Grid (ITEG) project to develop an all-in-one solution for generating clean predictable energy, grid management, and producing hydrogen from excess capacity at an existing tidal energy test site [May 2019, p12].
Fuel Cells Bulletin
5
MultiSchiBZ project on SOFCs for onboard clean power for ships
T
he new MultiSchiBZ research project in Germany aims to significantly reduce the pollutants and greenhouse gases produced by shipping. Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH is steering a two-phase optimisation and design evolution process for the SchiBZ2 solid oxide fuel cell onboard power generation system, with the longer-term objective of launching commercial applications. The consortium aims to improve the efficiency of shipboard power plants and prevent emissions even when fossil fuels are used, both in berth operations in ports and inland waterways and on the high seas. A further advantage of SOFCs is their almost silent operation. MultiSchiBZ will develop two prototype SOFC systems suitable for practical use, which can be operated with low-sulfur diesel or liquefied natural gas (LNG) as the fuel. A fuel gas generator will convert the fossil fuel into a hydrogen-rich gas for operation in the fuel cells. Key activities include optimising the fuel reforming process to enable the use of fuels such as LNG/natural gas, and the planning and development of power electronics for a decentralised DC microgrid with components formed using innovative materials.
September 2019
The results from and systems developed in two predecessor projects – SchiBZ [FCB, June 2012, p15] and SchiBZ2 [October 2016, p5] – will be used for the development of the technical components. The aim is to optimise the existing components, which have already been tested in the laboratory, further develop them for operation with LNG, and scale them up for the construction and operation of higher-power pilot plants. After the development phase, a demonstration phase is planned in which several fuel cell auxiliary power units (APUs) will be tested onboard ships in real-world operation. The project is managed by thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, and also involves DNV GL, Hülsenbusch Apparatebau GmbH, OWI Öl-Wärme-Institut at RWTH Aachen University, the Institute for Thermodynamics and Institute for Electrical Energy Systems at Leibniz University Hannover, Rosswag GmbH, Sunfire GmbH, the TEC4FUELS competence centre, and the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Center ZBT GmbH. The two-year project, which began in September 2018, is being coordinated by the National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NOW GmbH) [see also next item], with funding from the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI). thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH: www.thyssenkrupp-marinesystems.com MultiSchiBZ: www.e4ships.de/english-1/maritime-shipping/multischibz NOW GmbH: www.now-gmbh.de
Elektra project to build zero-emissions canal pusher boat in Germany
B
erliner Hafen- und Lagerhausgesellschaft mbH (BEHALA) in Germany is constructing what it believes will be the world’s first zeroemissions canal pusher boat. The energy supply onboard the inland waterway transport vessel, called Elektra, will be provided solely by hydrogen, fuel cells, and batteries. Construction is scheduled to commence in October, with completion by the shipyard scheduled for Q4 in 2020. The Elektra will be used primarily for freight transport on the Berlin–Hamburg route and for inner-city services in Berlin. The project is led by the Department of Design and Operation of Maritime Systems (EBMS, under Professor Gerd Holbach) at the Technical University of Berlin, in partnership with port and logistics services provider
IN BRIEF Great Wall Motor plans key automotive hydrogen energy R&D centre in Shanghai Chinese light-truck and SUV maker Great Wall Motor (www.gwm-global.com) has signed an agreement with the local authorities to establish a major R&D centre in the Jiading District of Shanghai, which will develop advanced technologies such as hydrogen energy, related core components, new mobility solutions, and intelligent networks. The new centre will be the company’s largest R&D facility alongside its Hydrogen Energy Technology Center in Baoding, Hebei Province, which opened in June 2018, and offers comprehensive testing and trial production for key components in hydrogen energy and fuel cell electric vehicles. Last year Great Wall joined the Hydrogen Council [FCB, April 2018, p13], and acquired Shanghai Fuel Cell Vehicle Powertrain Co. The company also announced that it would take a stake in the German hydrogen infrastructure consortium H2 Mobility Deutschland [October 2018, p1], although it subsequently decided not to join, following a reorganisation of its hydrogen activities and a stronger focus on the Chinese market [March 2019, p12]. HySpirits project investigates hydrogen as fuel to decarbonise distilling process The HySpirits project in the UK has been awarded £148 600 (US$186 000) in funding by the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to conduct a feasibility study into the development of technology to enable The Orkney Distillery in Scotland to use hydrogen as a fuel to decarbonise the gin distilling process. The project aims to develop a thermal fluid heater system to operate with renewably produced, ‘green’ hydrogen as the combustion fuel within the distilling process, removing the need to use fossil fuels such as kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). HySpirits is led by the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC, www.emec.org.uk), working with Orkney Distilling Ltd (www. orkneydistilling.com), the site selected for hydrogen fuel integration, and Edinburgh Napier University (https://tinyurl.com/napier-energy), which will assess the distillery site and develop the hydrogen system design and specification. EMEC is involved in several hydrogen and fuel cell projects in the Orkney archipelago, including Surf ’n’ Turf [see the News Feature in FCB, October 2017] and BIG HIT [News Feature in October 2016, and June 2018, p8], as well as the recently launched Integrating Tidal Energy into the European Grid (ITEG) project to develop an all-in-one solution for generating clean predictable energy, grid management, and producing hydrogen from excess capacity at an existing tidal energy test site [May 2019, p12].
Fuel Cells Bulletin
5