Technology group Wärtsilä has entered into a joint development agreement with Hycamite TCD Technologies, a private Finnish company specializing in the development of technologies for the production of clean hydrogen and solid carbon from methane. The two companies will work together to cost-effectively produce hydrogen from liquefied natural gas (LNG) on board ships. The conceptual design will be ready by mid-2023, and the prototype test unit will be ready by the second half of 2024.
The concept will allow the utilization of existing LNG infrastructure combined with Wärtsilä’s LNGPac gas supply system for onboard hydrogen production. By producing hydrogen on board and blending it with LNG, Wärtsilä’s current range of fuel-flexible Dual Fuel (DF) engines can reduce a ship’s overall CO2 and methane fugitive emissions. Alternatively, hydrogen can also be used in fuel cells on board.
A by-product of the process is solid carbon, which can be more easily stored and managed onboard, unlike conventional technologies that produce carbon dioxide (CO2) as a by-product. The carbon produced consists of higher allotropes such as industrial graphite and carbon nanotubes, thus providing a possible additional revenue stream.
“We are investing in the development of viable future marine fuel technologies and solutions to accelerate our efforts to decarbonize the shipping business. The partnership with Hycamite is an important step towards achieving our corporate goals. Our gas engines are already operational Operating on a mixture of hydrogen and liquefied natural gas. The ability to produce H2 onboard opens up exciting new opportunities. The solution overcomes deficiencies in existing hydrogen supply infrastructure. It also supports the reduction of safety risks in the storage and handling of liquid hydrogen, and Gradually reduce the environmental impact of the container,” says Mathias Jansson, Director Gas Supply Systems, Wärtsilä.
“We are delighted to be working with such a renowned technology leader as Wärtsilä. They have extensive knowledge and experience in marine gas supply systems and together we can make hydrogen availability and onboard storage a realistic option for the marine industry, said Laura Rahikka, founder and CEO of Hycamite.
The technology can in principle be applied to all ships fueled by LNG. When using bio-LNG, the solution can even generate electricity on board, achieving a negative carbon footprint.