Wärtsilä has been contracted to supply the total technology package for the conversion of the Viking Energy to run on ammonia fuel. The original plan to retrofit the vessel with a 2 MW solid oxide fuel cell system was delayed by supply chain and development challenges, but SOFC developer Alma Clean Power will continue to test and scale its direct ammonia-fed technology for maritime applications.
Alma Clean Power is in the process of testing a modular, 100 kW, direct ammonia-to-electricity solid oxide fuel cell that will be able to be stacked to create larger power systems for maritime applications.
The Norwegian Maritime Authority has approved the ammonia fuel system design to be deployed onboard the platform supply vessel Viking Energy. The system will directly feed 2 MW of solid oxide fuel cells, allowing for long-range, high power sailing of up to 3,000 hours per year.
The Norway-based technology developer has announced successful testing of a 6 kW, ammonia-fed solid oxide fuel cell unit. The test unit is seen as the “first building block” of a larger 100 kW module to be stacked & used for marine propulsion.
Australia’s national research organisation CSIRO is contributing valuable R&D across the hydrogen and ammonia value chains. At Ammonia Energy APAC 2023, we’ll hear updates on some key ammonia energy projects at CSIRO: small-scale production, combustion engines, and fuel cells, as well as an ongoing partnership with Fortescue Future Industries to develop & deploy metal membrane technology for ammonia cracking systems.
In maritime ammonia updates this week:
EverWind Fuels and Svitzer have signed an MoU to deploy an ammonia-powered commercial tug in the Canso Strait, adjacent to Point Tupper: the location of EverWind’s under-development hydrogen & ammonia production hub.