Powercell's fuel cell system gets class approval

Class society Lloyd’s Register has approved a hydrogen fuel cell system developed by PowerCell.

IMAGE: Powercell’s hydrogen fuel cell system. Powercell

The 225-kilowatt (kW) fuel cell system can power smaller ships like ferries, workboats, patrol vessels and offshore support ships. It can be fitted on newbuilds or as retrofits, according to PowerCell.

This approval sends a “strong signal to the maritime industry that hydrogen fuel cell systems are viable, safe, and ready for deployment at sea,” said Lisa Kylhammar, PowerCell’s senior vice president of engineering.

Installing these fuel cells on smaller ships will have a limited impact on global greenhouse gas emissions, but they can still offer valuable technical and operational insights on the road to developing fuel cells for larger ships.

“It is true that PEM fuel cells have gained more attraction in short-sea shipping; for example, we’ve seen success with RoRo vessels and passenger ferries. And we see this as a building block towards the larger ships and continue to work towards broader adoption in ocean-going vessels,” PowerCell’s chief technical officer Andreas Bodén told ENGINE in a recent interview.

By Tuhin Roy

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