Next generation on-board storage solutions for hydrogen-powered maritime applications
HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024-03-03
General information
Programme
Horizon Europe Framework Programmer (HORIZON)
Call
HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024 (HORIZON-JTI-CLEANH2-2024)
Type of Action
HORIZON-JU-RIA HORIZON JU Research and Innovation Actions
Type of MGA
HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS]
Open for submission
Deadline Model
single-stage
Opening Date
18 January 2024
Deadline Date
17 April 2024 17:00:00 Brussels time
Topic description
ExpectedOutcome:
The storage of hydrogen onboard maritime vessels represents a big challenge for the decarbonisation of the long-haul transport sector since the discussion around the best suited alternatives to replace fossil fuels is still undecided. It is not even sure that a single fuel will replace oil derivatives since different applications show different critical issues with logistics, storage volume and overall efficiency of the supply chain, thus making the decision on fuel choice a complex one for end users operating both at local and global levels.
It is difficult to categorise heavy duty maritime transport modes, ranging for instance from point-to-point routes travelled by sea ferries up to long distance maritime logistics which induces quite different requirements for fuel storage volume, distribution logistics, and bunkering/refuelling networks.
Bunkering and refuelling strategies affect the selection of fuels and the type of on-board storage. Novel solutions to onboard storage need to be studied without limitations concerning the type of fuels or its physical state. Issues to also address are the safety characteristics, including fire and explosion hazard, measures to cope with toxicity, as well as environmental impact and supply chain energy efficiency.
This topic centres around maritime transport, with a view on a spill-over to rail and road applications of similar energy storage needs (resulting from power by trajectory length). The candidate technology and fuel(s) for supplying pure hydrogen (5.0 fuel cell grade) on board of maritime vessels are expected to contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:
- Contribute to the selection of most appropriate fuels for maritime transport across the widely differing operation requirements from short to deep sea shipping, thereby consolidating Europe’s leading role in decarbonising maritime transport;
- Ease the end-users’ challenge of selecting the most suitable fuel for their new and retrofitted ships so that they can take well-informed decisions in the green energy (and fuel) transition.
- Define optimal fields of application of the proposed storage technology considering the logistics and the mission of each category of maritime transport by the end of the project; additionally, the pathways to spill-over to heavy-duty rail and road transport systems should be elaborated;
- Improve the operational capacity of storage systems to achieve performance according to the KPIs listed below;
- Deployment of cost-effective hydrogen or hydrogen carrier fuel storage system for maritime, and if applicable, also other heavy-duty applications by 2030.
Project results are expected to contribute to the following objectives and KPIs of the Clean Hydrogen JU SRIA (on a basis of the amount of hydrogen delivered to the energy conversion technology):
- Hydrogen bunkering rate: 20 tonH2/h in 2030;
- Tank volumetric Capacity system: 45 gH2/L (system) in 2030;
- Tank CAPEX lower than 245 €/kgH2 in 2030.
Scope:
The scope of the topic is to provide a full conceptual study of the proposed solution to storing hydrogen or a hydrogen carrier below deck of a vessel with high power propulsion needs (>500 kW) and high frequency operation. The scope further entails building a reference prototype for validating the concept, or several concepts in comparison, under real-world operating conditions.
Proposals should propose a storage technology which will be able to go beyond the state of art for on-board hydrogen storage with respect to the amount of energy stored, the space occupied per MWh of stored chemical energy, and the reduced shipping space (passengers/vehicles/containers), moving closer to current fuels properties and bunkering rates.
Proposals are expected to focus on below-deck innovative inland and sea waterborne transport hydrogen storage systems beyond the State-of-the-Art in any of the well-established physical states and chemical compositions (CH2, LH2, NH3, LOHC, solid state carriers) as well as potential novel hydrogen carriers or combinations of technologies with the following characteristics:
- Supply of pure hydrogen (5 point) to the propulsion system;
- Vessel propulsion and auxiliary power systems requiring a hydrogen supply flow of minimum 30 kgH2/h with a modular approach capable of achieving MW scale capacities;
- Bunkering/refuelling expected during adequate and suitable timeslots within daily operation or at the beginning or end of daily service;
- Below-deck, integrated onboard tanks to be filled directly (excluding exchangeable mobile tank systems (i.e., tank swapping)). The whole bunkering system needs to be addressed which means that the system boundary is on one side the feeding pipe for refuelling and on the other one the pure hydrogen output to the conversion unit. Thus, everything in between is part of the system to be designed and trialled (i.e., LOHC+ and LOHC- tanks).
A complete fuel infrastructure should be described, including solutions to refuelling logistics, but not including the supply of hydrogen itself, nor taking into account whether the hydrogen supplied is used in fuel cells of different types, internal combustion engines, or gas turbines.
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