Global renewable energy company e1 Marine has been commissioned by Switzerland-based Current AG to build an S Series 130 methanol to hydrogen generator that would capture waste heat and CO2 from the exhaust stream produced during the reforming process.
Successful lab-based tests will improve the economy and environmental footprint of the methanol-to-hydrogen reforming process, and the knowledge gained would be incorporated into plans to construct commercial vessels with methanol-to-hydrogen reformers to generate electricity on e-vessels or hybrid vessels by using hydrogen to power fuel cells for power generation.
The S Series S130 Hydrogen Generator is a modular system designed for ease of use on board vessels and it can integrate with proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) for a renewable power solution.
“Our methanol to hydrogen generators are already providing an accessible, safe and commercially viable low emission power solution for use in ports and on a range of vessels. The technology is already proving to be effective to slash total emissions, including the full removal of particulate matter, SOx and NOx. Although our generators already enable vessel owners to meet the incoming carbon reduction regulations, we are delighted that companies like Current AG are working to explore how we can help customers get closer to zero carbon emissions, ” Robert Schluter, Managing Director at e1 Marine, said.
Current AG is supporting the shipping industry with solutions to accelerate shipping decarbonisation, and the company also acts as a business facilitator and arranger of financing. The company plans to partner with Institutt for Energiteknikk (IFE) for the testing of methanol-based hydrogen used for electric propulsion. The tests will take place in a secured laboratory environment. After an educational stay at Element 1 with two engineers from IFE, the methanol to hydrogen reformer will be sent to IFE for further testing and development.
“We recognise the potential of e1 Marine’s ground-breaking technology to chart a clear pathway to decarbonising the shipping industry. The technology dramatically cut the carbon intensity of marine power for ships in our inland waterways, at sea, or at berth,” Per Sandven, Managing Director at Current AG, commented.
In August 2022, e1 Marine’s M-series methanol to hydrogen generator won Approval in Principle (AiP) for marine applications from the Republic of the Marshall Islands Maritime Administrator. The AiP covers applications on any vessel type and comes on the heels of an AiP from Lloyd’s Register in May 2022.
e1 developed the system in collaboration with Ardmore Shipping Corporation, an independent owner and operator of mid-size product and chemical tanker vessels, and Maritime Partners, a tailored leasing solution provider to the maritime industry.
As reported earlier, in March 2021 Ardmore signed a Letter of Intent with Element 1 Corp. and Maritime Partners to establish a joint venture that would deliver E1’s methanol-to-hydrogen technology to the marine sector.
Since then e1 Marine has also teamed up with Copenhagen-based Green Marine Engineering and NAVTEK to pursue potential integration of its technology on newbuild vessels.