Decarbonizing waterborne transport using fuel cells and DC grids

Abstract

Fuel cells offer a promising solution for decarbonizing the maritime sector, boasting high system efficiencies and the ability to operate on non-carbon fuels. They significantly reduce criteria pollutant emissions, making them suitable for environmentally sensitive areas and near ports. Anticipating upcoming regulations mandating zero-CO2-emission operation in specific corridors, fuel cells are poised to play a crucial role in future ship energy systems. Modern cruise ships increasingly employ fully electrified systems, favoring alternating current (AC) for power distribution. However, the increasing hybridization of onboard energy systems, featuring batteries and fuel cells, along with advancements in DC power converters, positions DC distribution systems as a promising alternative. This presentation emphasized fuel savings facilitated by fuel cells, DC grids, and variable-speed gensets in cruise ship applications. Simulation results exploring energy flow-based analyses for different energy system configurations were presented, and sensitivity to component efficiencies, energy management strategies, and system configurations were discussed.