Page 50: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (June 2019)

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TECH REPORT MARINE FUELS

Hydrogen: The Next Big Thing?

By Joseph DiRenzo, PE

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technology to leading voice in the ? eld is Dr. Joseph gers in the Bay Area. cap and trade program aimed at reducing

Satisfy Future IMO Requirements Pratt, CEO and CTO of Golden Gate According to Dr. Pratt, once launched Green House Gas emissions in the state

With an ongoing push by the maritime Zero Emission Marine (GGZM), who the vessel will operate in San Francisco of California.

community to reduce ship emissions to is an internationally recognized expert Bay for three months while Sandia Na- Dr. Pratt commented that the success- satisfy IMO MARPOL Annex VI regula- on maritime hydrogen. GGZM is one of tional Laboratories, a national lab at the ful launch of his business and the build- tions and limit the sulfur content of ships several companies making the transition forefront of hydrogen fuel cell technol- ing of the Water-Go-Round “was a long from January 1, 2020 to 0.5% world- from feasibility study to vessel construc- ogy, conducts performance testing on the time in the making” growing organically wide, many ship owners are starting to tion and operation. vessel and gathers data. The vessel will out of a partnerships he developed while consider hydrogen fuel cell technology carry a tank array of up to 242 kilograms managing the SF-BREEZE and other to satisfy evolving emissions regula- First Commercial Hydrogen of compressed hydrogen at 250 bar (ap- studies at Sandia National Labs. tions. To date, hundreds of millions of Fuel Cell Vessel in North America proximately 3,600 psi) which will pro- “The feasibility report showed that it dollars have been spent on research pro- After completing a keel laying ceremo- vide enough fuel for up to two full days could be done, but we wanted to prove it. grams to utilize hydrogen fuel cells for ny for the Water-Go-Round in Novem- of operation. The Water-Go-Round will When looking at the business side [of the transportation. Several maritime pow- ber last year and an anticipated launch be propelled by two 300 kW (400 horse company], we saw a really big demand ers including the European Union, the in September of this year, GGZM is on power) shaft motors with a 100 kilowatt for hydrogen fuel cell vessels”.

United States and Japan have initiated track to become the ? rst commercial hy- hour battery to provide speeds up to 22 Once the Water-Go-Round project is pilot programs to assess the feasibility drogen fuel cell vessel in North America. knots. complete, GGZM will focus its efforts of maritime hydrogen to reduce emis- The Water-Go-Round will be a 70-foot Some of the initial funding for the Wa- on taking lessons learned from the proj- sions while maintaining cost parity with catamaran built by Bay Ship & Yacht ter-Go-Round project comes from Cali- ect to develop “ready to go” hydrogen traditional propulsion technology. A Co. capable of carrying up to 84 passen- fornia Climate Investments, which is a fuel cell power systems which could be 3D rendering of the

Water-Go-Round.

Photo credit Incat Crowther 50 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • JUNE 2019

MR #6 (50-57).indd 50 6/3/2019 3:34:11 PM