A recent study by researchers at Southampton University has found that hydrogen through fuel cells requires the least amount of renewable energy investment.
As explained, although some alternative fuels may theoretically appear as zero emission, our full life-cycle energy feasibility studies challenge this.
Through taking a Wind to Wake approach, the cases of both ammonia and methanol indicate higher energy contribution towards their production compared to liquid hydrogen, while crucial steps such as carbon recycling and fossil fuel dependence are brought to light.
The study also advocates for the use of more efficient powertrains, which can lead to significant cost savings on expensive renewable energy sources by reducing the consumption of e-fuels. This is crucial for overhauling the global industry with the goal of achieving environmental sustainability, as outlined by the IMO.
The results indicate that, among the fuels analyzed, liquid hydrogen demands the smallest investment in renewable energy—30% less than ammonia and 26% less than methanol—when paired with a fuel cell and battery hybrid powertrain.
Moreover, these findings hold true across various types of ships. This substantial energy saving is likely to prompt the industry to embrace hydrogen as the fuel of the future, given its added advantages of zero greenhouse gas emissions and reduced air pollutants.
