TECO 2030 produces first fuel-cell stack at Narvik

“We are now making a transition into commercial production of the first fuel-cell stacks at our own facility in Narvik. This is a big milestone, and I am grateful for what the team has achieved together with our strong partners. Today, we can offer the first bottom-up developed marine and heavy-duty PEM fuel-cell technology,” said TECO 2030 group chief executive Tore Enger.

Among the first fuel-cell stacks to be deployed will be in Implenia Norway’s 800-kW HydroPilot container, which will be in operation by the end of the year.

A land-based stationary fuel-cell application to provide renewable power output for demonstrating a zero-emissions power generator at a construction site, the HydroPilot container is funded by Norway’s-state owned Enova to the tune of roughly €1.5M (US$1.6M).

Following production of Implenia’s container, TECO 2030’s Narvik team will start producing fuel-cell stacks for the EU-funded HyEkoTank project.

Part of the EU’s Horizon Europe initiative, HyEkoTank will demonstrate the world’s first and largest 2.4-MW marine fuel-cell system for a retrofit installation on board a product tanker owned by Tarbit Shipping and chartered to a Shell subsidiary.

The 100-kW fuel-cell stacks now being produced at TECO’s Narvik facility are optimised for high efficiency and durability. The company said these can be adapted to meet specific power requirements in heavy applications, allowing these fuel cells to be used in applications ranging from maritime and transport to industrial sectors. 

TECO 2030 is also building Europe’s first Giga production facility of hydrogen PEM fuel-cell stacks and modules in Narvik, Norway.

Mr Enger added, “This brings us one step closer to cleaner operations in energy-intensive industries such as marine shipping and mobile and stationary heavy-duty applications with a scalable plug and play solution ranging from 400 kW and upwards.” 

Production capacity will be built up throughout this year and early 2024, targeting an output capacity of up to 120 MW of fuel cells in 2024, 400 MW by 2025 and 1.6 GW in 2030.