RiverCell consortium demonstrates Advent fuel cells

Advent Technologies Holdings, Inc. said its fuel cell unit for the maritime sector passed safety testing and a safety assessment completed by DNV.

The fuel cell unit has been developed within the frame of the RiverCell Consortium. As part of the demonstration, a section of a river cruise vessel was set up on dryland at Neptun Werft, in Rostock, Germany. The prototype of Advent’s Serene marine fuel cell unit was successfully integrated into a modern hybrid DC electric energy grid, which was equipped with all relevant ship systems, including battery storage and a conventional diesel genset.

The project is dedicated to designing and developing a fuel cell hybrid system for inland vessels, and its realization has provided insights in terms of the suitability, practical use, and economic efficiency of hybrid powertrains.

RiverCell is a demonstration project supported by a consortium of partners and was initiated in 2015 and is expected to be completed by the end of this year. It has been funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport and led by Meyer Werft. It consists of partners throughout the maritime sector, including:

• Advent
• DNV
• HADAG
• Helm Proman Methanol
• Neptun Werft
• Pella Sietas
• Technische Universität Berlin
• Viking River Technical Cruises

Ragnar Christenson, RiverCell’s Project Manager, said, “By RiverCell, we have demonstrated how fuel cell technology can be a safe, clean and efficient alternative to today’s diesel gensets in marine use. We have also been able to demonstrate how hydrogen for fuel cells, in the form of methanol, can be safely and efficiently stored on ships.”

Morten Sørensen, Advent’s Senior VP, added, “In recent years, interest in methanol as a fuel for the shipping industry has grown significantly, but the industry is also waiting for the final regulatory frameworks to come into place before committing to large-scale investments.”