SOFC4Maritime is a new joint project aiming to accelerate the development of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology
The project, whose members include Alfa Laval, DTU Energy, Haldor Topsoe, Svitzer and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, will pursue a high-efficiency system at scale to support the maritime sector’s decarbonisation needs. SOFC4Maritime will target using future green fuels by applying SOFCs for power production on marine vessels.
SOFCs are seen as a viable long-term alternative to today’s fuels. By electrochemically converting fuel into electricity, SOFCs can potentially produce power with higher efficiency than internal combustion engines running on the same fuel – without creating polluting emissions or particulates. The research will work with ammonia-based SOFCs as its starting point owing to the compound’s industrial-scale production capacity.
Alfa Laval will head the development initiative and marine division president Sameer Kalra said “Addressing shipping’s environmental challenges – and climate change in particular – will require a diverse range of strong technologies. By partnering with fellow marine industry experts, we can investigate the possibilities and bring them to fruition in time to make a difference.”
Danish catalysis company Haldor Topsoe will provide the underlying SOFC stack technology. "We are proud to contribute with our competences within SOFC technology and ammonia as a marine fuel in order to reduce carbon emissions from shipping” said chief strategy & innovation officer Kim Grøn Knudsen.
DTU Energy will support system layout and component testing while Maersk subsidiary Svitzer and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping will ensure a broad industry overview, end-to-end analysis of various energy pathways and a detailed techno-economic analysis.
SOFC4Maritime is funded by a grant from Denmark’s Energy Agency through the Energy Technology Development and Demonstration programme which supports private companies and universities in developing new energy technologies.
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