Maritime hydrogen fuel cell system testing launched by Yanmar

Maritime hydrogen fuel cell system testing launched by Yanmar

March 29, 2021 0 By Erin Kilgore

The field demonstration test was conducted last week in Oita, Japan.

Yanmar Holdings Company, Ltd. and its subsidiary firm, Yanmar Power Technology Company, Ltd. subjected their maritime hydrogen fuel cell system to a field demonstration test for the first time last Wednesday in Oita Japan.

The goal of the renewable energy technology is to pursue greenhouse gas emissions reductions.

The International Maritime Organization recently announced the strategy it would employ for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The goal is to have brought them to a zero-emission level by the close of 2099. This is a similar move to those being made in many regions worldwide.

In response to the marine environmental regulations restrictions increasing around the globe, the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry drew up a “Green Growth Strategy towards 2050 Carbon Neutrality.” This strategy placed energy and power source development into the spotlight. It encouraged moves toward sources that would reduce environmental impact, including renewable energy fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia for powering aquatic vessels.

Yanmar was among the first to move on the strategy and is now testing its maritime hydrogen fuel cell system.

Yanmar is already a global leader in powertrain technology within the maritime market. It moved quickly on the release of the strategy for the purpose of complying with the tightening environmental regulations. To do this, it worked on dual-fuel marine engines.

To ensure continued leadership in environmental regulation compliant maritime powertrain technology, the company also developed a hydrogen fuel cell system bringing together H2 fuel cells from Toyota’s headline-making Mirai H2-powered car. For the purpose of the field tests, the newly developed system was installed into Yanmar’s EX38A FC pleasure boat.

Upon the completion of the testing, the boat became the first maritime vehicle compliant with safety guidelines for hydrogen fuel cell vessels as issued by Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The company is continuing to seek verification of specific challenges and solutions through the use of a maritime hydrogen fuel cell system. Moving forward, it intends to scale Maritime hydrogen fuel cell - Image of pleasure boatits system through the use of multiple connected units. It intends to deploy those solutions to larger vessels within four years.

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