New Energies, new possibilities

The methanol-operated fuel cell system set to be installed on a cruise ship operated by AIDA Cruises, a Carnival Corporation brand, has reached a new milestone having secured an Approval in Principle (AiP) from DNV GL. 

As a result, AIDA Cruises will be the world’s first cruise company to test the use of fuel cells on a large passenger ship. 

The fuel cell has been developed by Freudenberg Sealing Technologies as part of a research project backed by the German Government, and it runs on hydrogen obtained from methanol. 

The AiP sets the stage to move to further testing and installation of the system on board the AIDAnova cruise ship in 2021 as part of the Pa-X-ell 2 research project.

The project aims to develop a decentralized energy network and a hybrid energy system with a new generation of fuel cells for use in oceangoing passenger vessels. 

Aside from Freudenberg, AIDA Cruises, and DNV GL, Lürssen and German shipbuilder Meyer Werft are also working on the project.

The fuel cell

The fuel cell system uses methanol to bolster the volumetric energy density of hydrogen by chemically binding the regeneratively produced hydrogen.

Hydrogen has a seven times lower energy density than conventional marine diesel, hence its use as a marine fuel onboard vessels operated on the high seas would require huge fuel tanks, taking up the space intended for cargo or passengers. 

Fuel cells enable power supply on board with lower emissions than is currently possible with liquefied natural gas (LNG), and they produce low noise and vibration during operation, as explained by Carnival.

Fuel Cell Freudenberg; Image courtesy: Freudenberg Sealing Technologies

The fuel cells made by Freudenberg Sealing Technologies are designed to have a far longer useful life than cells intended for use in cars. 

The manufacturer’s first trials ashore have shown that a lifetime of over 35,000 operating hours can be achieved.

Furthermore, FST has developed a fuel cell operated with methanol in a container design. The individual container can have a rated output of up to 500 kilowatts and can be scaled with additional units to achieve total outputs in the double-digit megawatt range.  

AIDAnova, delivered in 2018 by Meyer Werft, is the world’s first cruise ship that is entirely powered by LNG. Two further LNG-powered AIDA cruise ships, built by the Meyer Werft shipyards in Rostock and Papenburg, are expected to be put into service by 2023. 

The cruise major is also working on a project that will see the installation of the world’s biggest battery storage system on a passenger ship, AIDAperla, to date, with total output of 10-megawatt hours.

As part of its Green Cruising strategy, AIDA is also exploring the possibility of CO2-free extraction of liquefied gas from renewable sources.

By the end of 2023, AIDA Cruises estimates that 94 percent of its guests will be traveling on ships that can be fully powered by LNG or operated in port with green shore power.

New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) has given its approval for five Japanese companies to participate in a demonstration project for high-power fuel cell (FC) vessels commercialisation.

The five companies are NYK Line, Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClassNK) and ENEOS Corporation.

The project is expected to commence this month and will be the first effort of Japan to develop a fuel cell vessel and to conduct a demonstration operation.

Greenhouse gases (GHG) can be completely eliminated when fuel cells are used as a power source.

The companies are planning to develop a high-power FC vessel that will weigh 150t and will operate as a medium-sized tourist ship.

The feasibility study of the vessel and the fuel supply will commence this month, while the vessel design and equipment installation process will begin next year.

The construction and production are planned in 2023 with pilot operation expected in 2024.

https://www.ship-technology.com/news/japanese-companies-fuel-cell-vessel/

Major Japanese shipping company Nippon Yusen K.K. said Tuesday that it will conduct a trial to put high-power fuel cell commercial ships into practical use with Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corp. and others.

Using hydrogen as fuel, the ships will not emit carbon dioxide.

It will be the first test of its kind to be conducted in Japan, according to Nippon Yusen.

The companies will develop fuel cell batteries for vessels. They will then start operating a vessel equipped with such batteries as a midsize tourist ship that can accommodate around 100 people.

The ship will be based in the port of Yokohama. The test will be held until February 2025.

The companies will consider whether to introduce the batteries to small coastal vessels, including cargo ships, on the basis of the results from the test.

Eneos Corp., which will also participate in the test, will develop a hydrogen station for vessels.

The international shipping industry is aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent from 2008 by 2050.

Seeing hydrogen fuel as a viable option for the industry, Nippon Yusen and others are speeding up efforts to develop related technologies.

日本郵船は7月28日、世界最大の水素に関するグローバル・イニシアチブ（活動体）であるHydrogen Council（水素協議会）に2020年7月27日に参画致したと発表した。

＜日本郵船が参画を考える水素サプライチェーンのイメージ＞

海運会社としては日本郵船が世界で初めて参画する企業の一つとなる。

日本郵船は協議会での活動を通して、水素サプライチェーンの構築や船舶の代替燃料変換を通じた脱炭素化の促進に取り組む。今後は水素の輸送および舶用燃料としての水素活用技術の開発も含めた水素社会の実現に取り組み、究極のクリーンエネルギーと言われる水素に関わるビジネス機会を的確にとらえ、サプライチェーン全体に関わっていくとしている。

なおHydrogen Council（水素協議会）とは、2017年1月、ダボス会議(World Economic Forum)で発足した、世界初、唯一の国際的な水素普及のための協議会。地球規模での代替燃料への移行に際して、水素技術が果たす役割を推進していくグローバル・イニシアチブであり、92社が現在加盟。

政策立案者や投資家を促し、水素・燃料電池セクターへの投資の加速化、適切な政策・行動計画の策定・実施の実現を目指している。

https://https://www.lnews.jp/2020/07/m0728303.html