Supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 framework programme, HySeas III will be the world’s first sea-going vehicle and passenger ferry powered by hydrogen fuel cells. On December 1st, an in-person event was organised to launch The HySeas III onshore string test and a technical webinar to present the outcomes was organised on the 8th of December. As a member of the European consortium involved in this innovative project, McPhy was glad to have a word about its role in HySeas III during this webinar.
HySeas III String Test Webinar
HySeas III String Test Webinar
The world’s first tests of a zero-emission ferry powered by hydrogen
Putting everything onshore means it’s much easier to run and test different scenarios. Now that we have a complete, full-scale system available, we can really see how complex this technology is.
HySeas III is a Horizon 2020 funded project which aims to study and design the first sea-going ferry fueled by hydrogen produced from local renewable energy. It seeks to make significant progress in eliminating CO2 emissions from marine transport by giving an irrefutable proof hydrogen powered ferries are viable.
The HySeas III webinar comes after the official launch of the onshore string test for the whole marine power system which occurred on December 1st. The tests, which were devised and conducted by Kongsberg Maritime, are designed to evaluate and optimise system performance, response, control and safety.
This webinar explained the string test operation and presented the outcomes & conclusions.
As the responsible for the bunkering part, McPhy worked on a study to design the fueling infrastructure of HySeas III. Klara Vandekerkhove, Standardization & tendering support Engineer of McPhy, explained McPhy’s involvement in this innovative project.
Render of HYSEAS III hydrogen-powered ferry. ©CMAL
String test outcomes & conclusions
The String test is a way to prove both the technical feasibility and mitigate risks of the systems by fully validating a power train onshore.
What to conclude from the tests?
A few challenges occurred during the commissioning and testing phases:
• Safety: need to protect the fuel cell & include a component into the circuit to prevent reversed current,
• Procedures: need to update several procedures related to the change of hydrogen storages,
• Training: need to increase the team’s knowledge about hydrogen to limit human error; a hydrogen training course will be organised.
As for the rest of the project, McPhy’s work showed the feasibility of a hydrogen refuelling infrastructure able to bunker such vessels. It also shown the replicability of the stations while highlighting the need of a standard for fuelling large tanks.
Additional positive point: the life cycle model for this project is estimated about 80 % carbon reduction compared to using diesel fuelled vessels.
To watch the full webinar: https://youtu.be/S_9XPLIsLVk
To know more about this project: https://mcphy.com/en/press-releases/hyseas-iii-world-first-renewables-powered-hydrogen-ferry/
Infos & Registration
| Hyseas III String Test Launch Webinar | December 8, Online | 11AM – 13PM
“Hyseas III: Next steps“, Klara Vandekerkhove, Standardization & tendering support Engineer
For more information and registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_vOGQ0VY9RZGEXNIeY2EtHg
