13AUG2019 - NEWS - German Consortium Takes Aim at Fuel Cell Power for Ships

German industrial conglomerate thyssenkrupp and a consortium of partners are working on a shipboard fuel cell that can run on either diesel or natural gas. The partnership - known by its project acronym, MultiSchIBZ - aims to develop and demonstrate a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) suitable for maritime use by 2020-2022. 

Solid oxide fuel cells operate at high temperatures without the use of a catalyst, and they are able to efficiently convert hydrogen or carbon-based gaseous fuels into electrical power. Shoreside fuel cell manufactuer Altrex Energy has sold more than 600 natural gas or propane-powered SOFCs for remote power generation, and it recently demonstrated a solid oxide fuel cell generator for the Department of Defense that can run on jet fuel. Sunfire, one of the consortium partners in the MultiSchIBZ project, makes a trailerized SOFC power generator and is planning to market a similar unit for home use.