With hydrogen emerging as an attractive and viable solution to maritime decarbonisation, the Middle East is well positioned to establish itself as a leading producer and exporter of the clean energy source, says an expert.

 

A research paper by international classification society DNV predicts that annual demand for hydrogen (H2) as an energy carrier will climb from 1,000 metric tonnes today to 39–161 megatonnes by 2050, says Jostein Bogen, Product Line Manager, Electric Solutions, ABB Marine & Ports.

 

The reasoning behind this sharp projected increase is clear: as an energy carrier, H2 holds significant potential to decarbonise industries and contribute to a more sustainable society. In the maritime sector, it can help owners to meet the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target of 50% by 2050 as compared with 2008 levels. 

 

Leadership and strategic investments

Leadership and strategic investments will be crucial if shipping is to harness the full potential of hydrogen, however, there are still some technical, practical and commercial obstacles to overcome before widespread adoption can be achieved. 

 

The hydrogen infrastructure is developing slowly, for example, and the energy source’s broader application in shipping will rely on scaled-up systems and lower production costs. More significantly, H2 today is primarily produced from fossil fuels, meaning that although the substance itself is clean, its production nonetheless contributes to GHGs. To achieve carbon neutrality in this case requires carbon dioxide emissions capture.

 

Hydrogen-based e-fuels such as ammonia and methanol as well as synthetic gas will also be instrumental in decarbonising shipping. For these fuels, also fuel cells in combination with reformer technology can play an important role to lower the emissions from the maritime sector.

 

ABB’s expertise

As a renowned provider of efficient and sustainable technologies to industries including maritime, ABB has a wealth of experience with hydrogen-based solutions – including the hydrogen fuel cell technologies which are already contributing to the maritime industry’s green transition. 

 

In its current form, fuel cell technology is ideally suited to powering smaller vessels operating over short distances and to meeting the auxiliary energy requirements of larger ships. For vessels sailing longer distances, it can be used in combination with batteries and engines to optimise the power plant and maximise the lifetime and performance of the cells and comply with regulations in ports and emission-control areas such as World Heritage fjords. 

 

ABB has been driving innovation in marine fuel cell applications both in short-distance shipping segment as well as in high-power range projects from one megawatt upwards.

 

Scaling up

Scaling up the output of fuel cells and other hydrogen-related solutions to enable widespread adoption in the maritime industry demands a highly collaborative approach.

 

For example, in collaboration with Ballard Power Systems, a leading fuel cell provider for the heavy-duty segment, ABB is developing a high-power hydrogen fuel cell concept capable of generating 3 MW of electrical energy for deployment aboard larger ships. 

 

To achieve energy transition, the role of ports and coastal industrial clusters is also crucial, as has been acknowledged by the International Energy Agency’s Clean Energy Ministerial Hydrogen Initiative (CEM H2I) to accelerate the deployment of H2 and fuel cell technology across all areas of the economy. The initiative includes the ‘Global Ports Hydrogen Coalition’ working group, which will bring together port authorities intending to use H2 to decarbonise their activities. 

 

Megaprojects

With Saudi Arabia participating in the CEM H2I, the UAE this year announced its support for the Global Ports Hydrogen Coalition, and work is already under way on megaprojects to expand the country’s hydrogen economy. The UAE’s Hydrogen Leadership Roadmap establishes a comprehensive blueprint to support domestic low-carbon industries, contribute to the country’s net-zero ambition and position it as a competitive exporter of H2. 

 

According to a report by Dubai-based Qamar Energy entitled The UAE’s Role in the Global Hydrogen Economy, the Middle East can contribute significantly to total global H2 production thanks to its abundant solar energy. 

 

A collaboration between Taqa – the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company – and Abu Dhabi Ports will harness the plentiful natural energy to produce two gigawatts of green hydrogen, which will then be processed into liquid ammonia for use as bunker fuel and for export.

 

Large-scale infrastructure

Alongside its favourable climate, the Middle East possesses large-scale infrastructure to support refining, petrochemical production and shipping – and this provides a solid foundation for producing H2 and H2-derived products for consumption and export. The region is also home to many major ports, which will be pivotal to its expanding hydrogen industry and export market.

 

As a frontrunner in developing viable hydrogen-based technologies for the transport industries, and specifically for shipping, ABB is also among the first to acknowledge that considerable work remains to be done. However, the group is also convinced that the direction of travel points towards the widespread deployment of hydrogen fuel cells in shipping within the coming decades.

 

As a region combining abundant renewable energy sources, a strategic location on main east-west routes, the infrastructure to serve global shipping and the vision to drive net-zero ambitions, the Middle East is well positioned to play a leading role in the transition to shipping’s new hydrogen economy. 

-- TradeArabia News Service