California Fuel Cell Boat No Longer Dreaming
The worlds first electric fuel cell water taxi powered by a hydrogen fuel system has been successfully operated in the harbour at Newport Beach, California as part of its pre-launch testing. The project, which will demonstrate the utility of hydrogen fuel in generating power for ships and port facilities, is a cooperative effort between Millennium Cell, which makes the Hydrogen on Demand hydrogen fuel system, Seaworthy Systems, Duffy Electric Boat, and Anuvu Inc.
The 30 day demonstration project which ran through the month of September is funded by California’s Center for the Commercial Deployment of Transportation Technologies, a partnership of academic institutions, government, and commercial corporations at California State University Long Beach.
The Duffy-Herreshoff 30 electric boat has been fitted with the Millennium Cell Hydrogen on Demand hydrogen storage and delivery system running through a complete PEM fuel cell engine from fuel cell and fuel cell engine developer and manufacturer Anuvu. The 3kW Hydrogen on Demand system weighs less than 150 pounds and is used to power a stack of four 1.5 kW Anuvu Power-X PEM fuel cells. This system replaces a diesel generator used to extend the range of the boat, which is 30′ long and has a capacity for 18 passengers. It also provides an option to recharge the batteries from the Anuvu fuel cell engine without having to dock near electricity. Seaworthy Systems directed the system integration and engineering for the project.
Millennium Cell’s Hydrogen on Demand system is a recyclable, clean-burning energy source that can be used with fuel cells and gas and diesel turbine engines. When used with a fuel cell, the only emission is water vapour. A liquid fuel, it is compatible with existing infrastructure for liquid petroleum pumps, produces about the same amount of energy per gallon as petrol and is completely safe to produce, store and transport.
The system generates hydrogen from sodium borohydride, which is derived from sodium borate, commonly known as borax.
Dissolved in water and passed through a proprietary catalyst chamber, the sodium borohydride releases a perfect stream of pure hydrogen – on demand – to power a fuel cell or an internal combustion engine. The fuel’s by-products are water and borax.
‘We are proud to be a partner in demonstrating the advantages of hydrogen fuel cells for ports and harbours, which face serious environmental challenges and need a clean fuel to stop the progress of water and air pollution, ‘ said Dr Stephen S. Tang, Millennium Cell President and CEO.
Rex Hodge, President and CEO of Anuvu added, ‘The Newport Beach water taxi demonstrates that hydrogen powered fuel cell systems are available today to contribute to a healthier environment. The successful technology integration of Millennium Cell’s hydrogen system and Anuvu’s fuel cell engine shows the viability of hydrogen fuel cell power for the marine industry.’
MJ Information No: 18704
