Meyer Werft, a German shipbuilder, has teamed up with partners for an exciting new project focused on using fuel cells that run on green methanol. This technology aims to create a cleaner and more sustainable energy system for cruise ships.
This initiative, called zero4cruise, kicked off on January 24, 2025. It’s a collaboration between Meyer Werft, Freudenberg Fuel Cell e-Power Systems, and the German Aerospace Center (DLR), which includes various specialized institutes.
The goal is to advance fuel cell technology powered by green methanol, leading to the creation of large fuel cell systems for new ships and retrofits. The developers believe this innovation is essential for speeding up the cruise sector’s shift to cleaner operations, especially since ships typically have long lifespans.
The hybrid system will mix proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells with methanol reformers and batteries. This design ensures that ships can run in a carbon-neutral manner, especially while docked at ports.
DLR’s role involves developing and testing technology for large marine fuel cell stacks. The aim is to create prototype stacks with specific power outputs, ensuring they perform well in laboratory settings.
Additionally, DLR’s Maritime Energy Systems Institute will conduct long-term tests on a 500 kW fuel cell system to replicate the real operating conditions of cruise ships, proving the system’s durability over time. New LT and HT PEM fuel cell stacks are also being tested to advance them to a complete system.
This project is supported by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, providing funding of €18.7 million.
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Source linkcruise ships,fuel cells,German Aerospace Center,Methanol,Meyer Werft,zero4cruise
