Odfjell investigates fuel cells

FULL FUEL FLEXIBILITY

MARITIME • THERE ARE GOING TO BE DIFFERENT ROUTES TO A DECARBONISED SHIPPING INDUSTRY. ODFJELL IS LOOKING HARD AT INNOVATIVE FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGIES

SHIPOWNERS, SHIPYARDS, PROPULSION manufacturers and marine architects around the world are currently engaged in a race against time to establish the engine technology of the future – a future that is coming closer every day, with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) having set stringent limits on carbon dioxide emissions from merchant ships from 2030 and even more stringent limits due in force in 2050. Ships built today will certainly hope to be trading in 2030 and plans will have to be in place for the next generation.

Leading chemical tanker operator Odfjell is participating in the development of fuel cell technologies that offer a way to meet those emissions limits, with potential emissions reductions of more than 40 per cent.

“Ships are to be operated for 20 to 30 years and we need flexible solutions that can meet future emission requirements. We do not have time to wait, we have to think about zero emissions already now,” says Erik Hjortland, vice-president of technology at Odfjell. “The fuel cell project is one of the paths we are pursuing. We focus on machinery rather than focusing on one single type of fuel. Fuel cell technology gives us flexibility that ensures environmentally efficient operation regardless of fuel changes that may occur in the years ahead.”

The development project, involving fuel cell technology expert Prototech, engine manufacturer Wärtsilä and Lundin Energy Norway alongside Odfjell, plans to test a 1.2 MW prototype fuel cell at the Sustainable Energy ‘catapult centre’ in Norway prior to its installation on one of Odfjell’s newest chemical tankers.

The aim of the project is to develop fuel cells capable of powering a seagoing vessel and using a range of fuel types, including ‘green’ ammonia and LNG. While LNG is being touted as a good way to meet the ‘IMO 2020’ restrictions on sulphur oxide emission, it is still carbon-based and the maritime world realises that it is only a stepping stone on the road towards a decarbonised industry.

PROMISING RESULTS Tests on the new fuels cells so far have been promising. Bernt Skeie, CEO of Prototech says: “Our tests show a CO² reduction of as much as 40 to 45 per cent when using LNG, compared to current solutions. Increased efficiency and reduced fuel consumption also provide significant cost savings, and the ship will be able to sail significantly longer on the same amount of energy. The system will also be ready to operate completely emission-free from the locations where, for instance, ammonia is available for bunkering.”

“The technology also enables direct capture of CO², which will be yet another alternative for emission-free operation when logistics for CO² management become available,” Skeie adds.

The project aims to develop a technology that can provide emission-free operation over long distances. Battery solutions are currently not suitable for operating oceangoing ships, of which there are more than 50,000 operating globally and thus constitute a big share of international shipping. It is difficult to achieve the goal of climate neutrality without finding solutions for this segment.

The unique feature of the new technology is its high energy efficiency and the flexibility that enables substantial emission reductions from day one with the use of currently available infrastructure for LNG, while also preparing for emission-free operation in line with the development of value chains and infrastructure for sustainable fuels in the future.

“The development of this fuel cell is an example of how forward-looking shipping companies and our unique maritime expertise have the prerequisites to drive new solutions through a broad collaboration within the maritime cluster,” says Harald Solberg, CEO of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association. “In the long run, scaling up such solutions will be of great importance in achieving our climate goals, they will have business value, and they can create new jobs in Norway. Norwegian shipping has set ambitious climate goals. This type of project is very important for us to be able to develop solutions that quickly reduce emissions.”

The development of large fuel cells will have implications in other sectors too, as Ingve Sørfonn, technical director at Wärtsilä, explains: “The new energy solution has the potential to take us a big step closer to the goal of climate neutrality. Fuel flexibility will be a significant contribution to secure future solutions for new ships. And it does not stop with ships, this solution can also be used in offshore oil and gas operations.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE Odfjell’s participation in the project is a concrete example of its commitment to the Sustainable Ocean Principles of the UN Global Compact, which it endorsed last year, and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also participates in the ‘Getting to Zero’ coalition, a global alliance that is working to develop and operate zero-emission vessels on deepsea trades as early as 2030.

“As a global company, we have a responsibility to our employees, our investors, our customers, to the local communities where we operate, and to the global environment,” Odfjell CEO Kristian Mørch said at the time. “By signing up to this initiative, we join businesses from around the world in setting clear and shared expectations industry-wide for a healthy and productive ocean. We look forward to contributing.”

The nine Sustainable Ocean Business principles build on and supplement the SDGs, providing a framework for responsible business practices in the oceans, as the UN explained at their launch in September 2019: “The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls on all stakeholders to conserve and sustainably use the ocean, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. Businesses have a shared responsibility, alongside governments and civil society, to take necessary actions and secure a healthy ocean.”

The UN is also clear that commitment to the principles will require collaboration both within and outside the maritime community. It states: “By bringing together the leading industries in aquaculture, energy production, fisheries and shipping with key banks, equity funds and insurance companies, the platform has a cross-industry, cross-UN and crossGlobal Goals approach. The platform is designed to drive decision-making processes and catalyse partnerships to advance shared ocean priorities across all 17 Global Goals with a specific aim to scale up the commitments and performance of companies on this critical agenda.”

Odfjell was among the first companies in the shipping industry to sign up, committing itself to prevent pollution, manage its use of marine resources to ensure long-term sustainability, and be transparent about its ocean-related activities and their impact. www.odfjell.com www.prototech.no

THE NEW FUEL CELL PROJECT WAS INTRODUCED

TO NORWAY’S PRIME MINISTER, ERNA SOLBERG, BY PROTOTECH’S BERN SKEIE (CENTRE) AND

ODFJELL’S ERIK HJORTLAND