Ponant and Farwind Energy team up to develop green hydrogen bunkering solutions
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by Admin
Cruise ship operator Ponant and Nantes-based startup Farwind Energy recently announced their collaboration to study innovative solutions for bunkering ships with renewable green hydrogen.
The firms have outlined a roadmap to promote the production and utilisation of green hydrogen. Their plan involves sharing advancements in the management of hydrogen onboard ships and collaborating to develop initial use cases while overcoming potential technological challenges.
The two partners have set themselves a goal to be in a position to commission Ponant’s Swap2Zero project and the first energy ship at the same time by 2030.
Swap2Zero is the first concept of a transoceanic vessel aiming to approach carbon neutrality, whether sailing, manoeuvring, in port or at anchor. Wind power is at the heart of the project and low-temperature fuel cells operating on liquid hydrogen for propulsion are also being studied.
Mathieu Petiteau, Newbuilding and R&D Director at Ponant, said: “Farwind Energy’s hydrogen production technology has the advantage of offering hydrogen refuelling solutions in places where there are no means of production and supply.”
“This collaboration is an opportunity to jointly develop a major project that associates a ship with her own source of renewable energy produced locally. It is an unprecedented revolutionary approach that makes total sense.”
“The Swap2Zero programme is the ideal demonstrator to scale up this solution and set new standards. This technological building block will be integrated into our other areas of R&D to support our decarbonisation strategy.”
Arnaud Poitou, Chairman of Farwind Energy, said: “We are proud to share our roadmap with Ponant, an innovative company committed to low carbon navigation. This collaboration opens up new perspectives for our highly innovative renewable energy production technology.”
“Capable of being produced near the ship’s operating areas, our liquid hydrogen represents a promising solution to decarbonise maritime transport.”
Photo credit: Ponant / Farwind Energy
Published: 2 April, 2024
