Key research projectsShipFC
Piloting Multi-MW Ammonia Ship Fuel Cells
ShipFC is a 6-year project funded by the EU’s Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020 under its Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) (Grant Agreement: 875156). The project envisions to deliver the world’s first high-power fuel-cell to be powered by green ammonia.
Consortium
ShipFC consortium brings together experience from main shipping stakeholders. It consists of a consortium of 14 European companies and institutions, co-ordinated by the Norwegian cluster organisation NCE Maritime CleanTech.
Academic involved:
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Scope
The problem
The shipping industry is accountable for a substantial part of global air pollution. For this reason the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has imposed strict environmental regulations.
A reduction of CO2 emissions of around 90% is required from 2010 to 2050 for the shipping industry to contribute to the global target of keeping the temperature increase below 2°C according to the Paris agreement.
In addition, a target is set to reduce the CO2 emissions from the shipping sector by 50% until 2050 compared to the 2008 level. Therefore, a feasible approach for large-scale CO2 emission reductions is needed in international shipping.
At present, there is no validated technology that targets operational profiles, where there is high energy use for long periods without connection to an electric grid.
Solution
ShipFC will show how to retrofit a vessel with 2MW ammonia fuel cells and will demonstrate that long-range zero-emission voyages with high power on larger ships is possible. This will facilitate the IMO decarbonisation targets.
Ammonia is selected due to the less complicated, safer energy storage and higher energy density, compared to hydrogen. In addition, there are existing large-scale production infrastructures for ammonia, since it's used for many other applications, such as fertilisers. Therefore, these industries are already making considerable efforts to produce green ammonia using electrolysis at reasonable costs.
Another reason for selecting ammonia are the existing large-scale distribution infrastructures. Solid Oxide Fuel Cells are selected because they have demonstrated higher efficiency of 70% electric, and 90% combined (heat and electricity) with ammonia compared to the competing systems using Proton-exchange membrane Hydrogen.
Aim
ShipFC aims to develop the first NH3 powered Fuel Cell (FC) vessel, which will sail solely on green NH3 produced from renewable sources and to ensure that the developed FC can operate effectively and safely, covering the complete electric power requirements of the vessel. It aims to prove:
- the case for long-range high-power zero-emission shipping
- and the case for scalable, large-scale zero-emission fuel infrastructure, through a realistic business model.
Objectives
- Scale ammonia fuel cell modules to 670kW and systems to 2MW delivered in containerized systems for use in ships
- Prove viability of green ammonia fuel system; covering ship systems, bunkering and infrastructure
- Integration of ammonia fuel cell and fuel systems in ship power systems
- Onshore testing of ammonia fuel cells and fuel systems
- Installation and 12+ month operation of fuel cell onboard a ship
- Model the socio-technical system of fuel cell ammonia systems built on operational data and experience
- Show wider use and scaleup of system to +20MW
Approach/methodology
ShipFC’s mission to show that long-range high-power zero-emission shipping is possible, will be achieved with three phases:
Phase 1 - development
In the first phase, innovation is introduced in the following areas.
First, is scaling up proven and highly efficient fuel cell systems to 670kW modules and a 2MW system, which requires novel solutions such as adapted heat and air distribution systems.
A second innovation is new fuel systems, both on the ship and onshore, which is today not built for ammonia at this scale, but there is expertise on other gas fuel systems, such as LNG. For ammonia, an added complexity is developing certification schemes ensuring that the ammonia used is green.
A third innovation is the energy system integration, where the fuel cell system is combined with a battery pack and other ship energy systems. A replication of a full ship energy system in an onshore testing facility will be employed, allowing to build the energy system in containers, and perform realistic tests to minimize time spent on installation.
Phase 2 - pilots
In the second phase a large-scale retrofit of an ammonia fuel cell solution will be performed. All relevant aspects will be monitored, including sensors on the relevant parts of the energy system, which will provide new data and experiences for the analysis in the next phases.
Phase 3 - replicating a modular 2MW ammonia fuel cell solution
In the third phase (the 'bigger picture'), a concept is proposed to help the larger shipping industry get a foundational understanding of ammonia fuel cells, adapted to different use cases. The knowledge obtained will be used for different replications represented by different vessel types and operational profiles. The replicators include a bunker vessel, a cargo vessel, as well as a full-scale installation on Viking Energy.
Finally, cost analysis activities and development of viable business models for further commercialisation and market entry for large-scale fuel cell power systems for maritime use, including the build-up of a robust infrastructure and value chain for zero-emission fuels will be performed.
Project timeline
| Date | Phase |
|---|---|
| January 2020 | Project kick-off |
| February 2023 | SOFC manufacturing completed |
| July 2023 | Full-scale energy system testing completed |
| December 2023 | SOFC energy system installed and tested onboard Viking Energy |
| December 2025 | Techno-socio-economic assessment (public report) |