Hydrogen in the maritime sector : a feasibility study on hydrogen as fuel in Norwegian ferries
Abstract
To ensure emission reductions in the maritime sector, the Norwegian Parliament has
established that all new ferry tenders should include a requirement for the use of lowand
zero-emission technology where it is technologically feasible. Battery technology
has proven successful as a zero-emission alternative on shorter ferry routes, but has
difficulty providing sufficient amounts of energy for the longer routes. Hydrogen
technology, on the other hand, can achieve ranges comparable to conventional fuels, and
is becoming increasingly popular as a zero-emission fuel in transportation. This thesis
provides an assessment of using hydrogen on the longer ferry routes, both in terms of
environmental impact and economic implications. When comparing hydrogen to the
most realistic alternative, liquid natural gas, we find that hydrogen is in most cases a less
cost-efficient way to reduce emissions. Even though hydrogen eliminates emissions
completely, its price being too high coupled with expensive fuel cell technology, makes
hydrogen powered ferries less competitive. Nevertheless, there could be reasons for
hydrogen ferries to be introduced, and an overview of which routes should be
considered first will be laid forth in this thesis. Given future price reductions in
hydrogen and fuel cell technology, hydrogen could be a viable zero-emission alternative
fuel for longer routes with tender contracts ending further into the future.