Page 23: of Marine News Magazine (October 2023)

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Feature

Alternative Fuels

One important go/no-go decision is due at the end of 2023. The project exists within a larger NEPA (National

Environmental Policy Act) context and process. The initial ? rst phase design and safety work will be reviewed at year’s end and that review will inform decisions about moving forward to implementation. Total Project funding is $16 million. DOE’s share is $8 million.

Hornblower and its partners want the Waterfront Mari- time Hydrogen Demonstration Project to demonstrate bun- kering of fuel-cell vessels with green hydrogen. Hydroelectric power from the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir will provide “green power.” The project seeks to establish a technical foundation for “maritime H2 production, compression, storage and over- the-water fueling.” A larger goal is to catalyze a “green hy- drogen ecosystem” (both marine and landside) in the SF Bay

Area, and also pave the way to large-scale implementation across the United States. If successful, project leaders believe that local H2 production could substantially reduce costs.

Additionally, the project will develop a “new and novel hydrogen barge” for over-the-water vessel refueling. The barge is expected to be ready in 2025.

Project update

In June 2023 Hornblower presented its Annual Mer- it Review (AMR) update report to DOE. This complex project has four broad phases, starting with local permit- ting, buying equipment, technology demonstrations and, ? nally, Coast Guard inspection. One important concern in Phase II is to mitigate “in? ation-driven budget impacts to ensure the project’s economic viability.” In? ation has increased almost all costs about 30% beyond budget and supply lead times are longer than expected.

ornblower Energy LLC, in partnership with The 2023 AMR does not present detailed budget num- the Port of San Franciso, the U.S. Department bers, but a 2022 report shows that project spending was of Energy and six corporate partners, includ- just $34,770 from DOE and $45,530 from the partners.

H ing Air Liquide and Glosten, is leading a proj- The biggest expenses lie ahead as work shifts from R&D ect to demonstrate the feasibility and viability of using hy- to pier reconstruction, buying equipment, barge construc- drogen (H2) as a maritime fuel. tion, installing or upgrading electrical systems and under-

The project is located at Pier 68 in San Francisco. DOE taking a pile driving project needed to secure the pier and selected the project for funding in 2020. It’s supposed to the H2 infrastructure. The pier footprint is 160’ x 40’ x 7’.

be completed in 2025 but there are important decision Potential H2 customers could include: the new vessel dates before then. So far, project activities have concentrat- Sea Change, slated to be the ? rst H2 ferry; the Discover ed on planning and modeling. It’s not clear when actual Zero, a Hornblower hybrid diesel-battery-H2 vessel; land- construction might start. based H2 gas tube trailers; and the San Francisco Airport. www.marinelink.com MN 23|