Italy-based system integrator H2Boat has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with US-based Nuvera Fuel Cells, a provider of heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell engines.

Nuvera is to supply an E-45 fuel cell engine to H2Boat for marine-type approval certification. Following on from certification, Nuvera is to further supply the engine for integration in H2Boat’s forthcoming HP Energy pack to expand its marine product line.

Nuvera presented its E-45 multi-platform H2 fuel cell system in late 2020. At the time, Matt Weig, product manager at Nuvera explained that the strategy for the E-45 fuel cell engine was to design a system that meets the needs of multiple mobility markets and easily incorporates into existing electric vehicle platforms. The move into marine applications comes at a time when there is increasing pressure on the marine sector to decarbonise.

“Fuel cells provide an extremely attractive value proposition to the marine industry,” said Giampaolo Sibilia, director of European operations for Nuvera Fuel Cells. “We believe hydrogen should, and will, play a key role in the sector’s journey towards decarbonisation. We look forward to joining with H2Boat to fulfil a specific need in the boating industry to make maritime transportation cleaner and quieter.”

H2Boat was launched in 2020 to introduce hydrogen technology into the marine sector. The company is part of Bluenergy Revolution, a company spun out of the University of Genoa (Italy) to focus on the research and development of fuel cell, electrolyser and metal hydride systems, targeting hydrogen technology solutions for mobile and stationary applications. 

Earlier this year, the US company Nuvera Fuel Cells commissioned a new large-scale fuel cell durability testing facility in Italy. Nuvera is also involved in helping develop hydrogen mobility technologies in Europe in the consortium called StasHH. This group of 25 companies is working on developing a standard for heavy fuel cell trucks in Europe.

Source: Electrive.com

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