zepp.solutions to supply fuel cells for river cruise ship hydrogen project
The project NERA-H2 is designed to help meet the increasingly stringent emissions regulations for vessels in cities such as Amsterdam, Basel and Vienna, where the initiators estimate that “the river cruise sector faces a major sustainability challenge.” Zepp.solutions estimates that over 420 river cruise vessels currently operate in Europe, which will face the increased regulation. This issue will then be addressed by retrofitting existing vessels with hydrogen-based propulsion systems, which zepp.solutions writes will help accelerate the energy transition within inland waterways.
For the project, zepp.solutions will deliver its X150 fuel cell modules, which can deliver over 1 MW of power output. Zepp also specifies that the system “has already proven itself in heavy-duty applications such as hydrogen-powered trucks.”
Funding for the project will largely be drawn from the Dutch Maritime Master Plan project, which aims to deploy “at least 40 zero-emissions ships by 2030.” The initiative will further benefit from the NERA-H2 project by sharing the gained insights, which the initiators state will help “paving the way for further industry-wide adoption of hydrogen propulsion and accelerating the transition to a zero-emission maritime sector.”
The NERA Company B.V. is in charge of the project, and has brought together a consortium of specialized partners, including research institutions such as MARIN and TNO for technical validation and further development of the propulsion technology, “while the Arnhem and Nijmegen University of Applied Sciences focuses on energy storage and digitalization research. Shipowners and industry partners ensure the technology’s feasibility for real-world maritime operations.”
“We are proud to contribute our fuel cell expertise to this ambitious project. The maritime sector’s decarbonization efforts must focus not only on newbuild vessels but also on upgrading existing fleets,” said Jonas Brendelberger, co-founder of zepp.solutions, adding: “NERA-H2 presents a well-structured approach, and we look forward to the collaboration.”
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