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First fuel cell passenger ship launches in Germany
Proton Power Systems (PPS) has launched what it claims is the world’s first fuel cell powered passenger ferry in Hamburg, Germany.
The ZemShip (Zero Emission Ship) runs on a hybrid unit made up of two 48 kW fuel cell systems made by PPS’s subsidiary Proton Motor Fuel Cell GmbH and a lead gel battery.
“The launch of the ZemShip marks a significant milestone,” says PPS chairman Thomas Melczer, “and is a testament to the potential of our fuel cell technology.”
The combination of fuel cells and battery has twice the fuel efficiency of a standard diesel engine ship. The ZemShip runs on gaseous hydrogen stored in 50 kg onboard tanks, which provide enough fuel for around three days.
The Linde Group has designed and built a hydrogen filling station especially for the Zemship. The hydrogen is stored as a liquid at -253°C until it is needed, then it is transformed into a gas in an evaporator before being compressed up to 450 bar in a two-stage compressor.
After a first phase of testing, the ZemShip will start commercial service as a 100-capacity passenger ferry on the Elbe and Alster rivers.
The European Union has ploughed €2.4 million into the project to support its development and operation until 2010.
The fuel cells that power the ZemShip have other applications too, says Melczer, including buses, refuse trucks and even forklift trucks.
For further information:
www.protonpowersystems.com
www.linde.com