U.S. Firms Aiming For Hydrogen Fuel Cell Ferry and World's Largest Refueling Station

by Ship & Bunker News Team
Thursday July 30, 2015

A hydrogen powered passenger ferry and a refueling station, being being touted as the world's largest hydrogen project, is being planned for the U.S., according to one of the project partners

Project SF-BREEZE (San Francisco Bay Renewable Energy Electric vessel with Zero Emissions), is being developed through a partnership between U.S.-based Sandia National Laboratories and San Francisco's Red and White Fleet.

If deemed feasible by a study recently commissioned by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration, SF-BREEZE will design, build and operate the high speed ferry.

Also contributing to the project are the American Bureau of Shipping, the U.S. Coast Guard, and naval architect Elliott Bay Design Group.

Joe Pratt, project lead for Sandia, said that regardless of the study's outcome, it will "be useful to others nationally and around the world who are looking at hydrogen fuel cell vessels as clean energy alternatives."

Pratt added that the study will determine if a boat powered by hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen, which are heavier than diesel engines and bunker, can be built large enough to overcome the added weight yet remain fast and economically viable.

The project estimates that such a vessel would use about 1,000 kilograms of hydrogen per day, which in turn would require a refueling station with a capacity of 1,500 kilograms a day: double the size of the world's largest hydrogen refueling station.

Tom Escher, president of Red and White Fleet, noted, "Everyone is talking about reducing emissions by 20 percent, 40 percent or more. I thought, 'Why not do away with emissions altogether?'

But not everyone is bullish on hydrogen for ferry fleets. Earlier this month, The Scientific Alliance Scotland labelled Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd's proposal to develop a zero emissions hydrogen fuel cell powered ferry as "silly" and "a waste of taxpayers' money."