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News | 2021-03-02
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Nordic research analyzes fuel cells and hydrogen for shipping

Shipping needs to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions significantly to achieve future goals. As a complement to energy efficiency improvements, alternative fuels are needed above all. In a new project, IVL, together with other Nordic researchers and industry players, is investigating how fuel cells and hydrogen compare with other fossil-free solutions.

– There are a variety of possibilities such as electrification, wind, biofuels and electric fuels. The interest in new solutions is great in shipping and hydrogen and fuel cells are very hot right now, says Julia Hansson, researcher and project manager at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute.

Shipping is one of the largest sectors that still has large emissions to work with, not least in the Nordic region, where shipping is also of great importance for exports and imports.

In the project HOPE – Hydrogen fuel cells solutions in shipping in relation to other low carbon options – IVL together with Norwegian Sintef, the University of Iceland, Stena Rederi and Powercell Sweden will analyze hydrogen and fuel cell solutions for the Nordic shipping sector.

"Hydrogen can be interesting for routes within the Nordic region"

The project includes developing and evaluating a concept design for a vessel for short sea shipping that uses hydrogen and fuel cells for propulsion. More technical aspects and costs are also included, as well as barriers and driving forces for the realization of such vessels in the Nordic region, as well as the impact on greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

– For us, it is important that various alternative fuels are thoroughly investigated to ensure that they are sustainable, practically possible and cost-effective. Hydrogen can be a very interesting alternative for those of our vessels that operate routes between the Nordic countries, says Per Wimby, Stena Rederi.

The research project is funded through a collaboration between Nordic Energy Research, the Danish EUDP, Business Finland, the Swedish Transport Administration, the Norwegian Research Council and the Icelandic Research Center, as well as significant in-kind from participating companies. The project will run for two years.

Two more projects that will analyze and test hydrogen and ammonia in shipping are financed within the same program.

For more information, please contact:
Julia Hansson, julia.hansson@ivl.se, +46 (0)10-788 66 51

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