Bloom Energy and South Korea-based Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) signed a joint development agreement to design and develop fuel cell-powered ships. The two companies will work together to use Bloom fuel cells to cut emissions on ships, a sizable source of pollution. The fuel cells would produce electricity that would power the ships via liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Bloom’s main assembly site is at the University of Delaware’s STAR Campus in Newark.
“By signing this joint development agreement, SHI has a plan to develop eco-friendly ships that will lead the future of the industry,” said Haeki Jang, Vice President of Shipbuilding & Drilling Sales Engineering at SHI. “Our goal is to replace all existing main engines and generator engines with these highly efficient solid oxide fuel cells to align with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2030 and 2050 environmental targets.”
SHI is actively participating in all of the relevant activities during the joint development, from early studies to project completion. Bloom Energy has created a dedicated, cross-functional team of engineers to adapt Bloom Energy’s Servers to the requirements of the marine environment.
SHI and Bloom Energy are actively working towards the next milestone in this development with a target to present the design to potential customers in 2022. Following commercialization, the two companies anticipate that the market for Bloom Energy Servers on SHI ships could grow to 300 megawatts annually.
Because the fuel cells create electricity through an electrochemical reaction, without combustion, these ships would be able to improve air quality with a reduction of particulate emissions, by more than 99%, and shrink carbon emissions.
“The marine shipping industry has the ability to make a substantial impact on emissions and air quality at ports and across our planet,” said KR Sridhar, CEO, Bloom Energy. “We see a collaboration with one of the world’s largest shipbuilders, SHI, as a moment to make measurable strides in reducing emissions and extending our mission for clean, reliable energy to the seas.”
The joint development agreement between SHI and Bloom Energy follows an Approval in Principle for fuel cell-powered Aframax crude oil tankers from DNV GL, the internationally accredited marine shipping registrar and classification society, announced in September 2019. The next class of ship to be submitted for design approval is an LNG carrier.