Australia's Global Energy Ventures (GEV) has unveiled what it hopes will be the world's first compressed hydrogen carrier.
The H2 Ship will transport the fuel from Australia to the Asia Pacific region, drawing on the company's expertise in compressed natural gas (CNG) vessels.
GEV said it wants to be an early mover in the carbon-free technology.
The H2 Ship will have a storage capacity of up to 2,000 tonnes (23m cbm) of compressed hydrogen.
Smaller capacity vessels will be evaluated by GEV for demonstration purposes based on specific pilot export projects.
The company is hoping for approval in principle from classification society ABS early next year.
GEV said Australia already has a national hydrogen strategy that includes the establishment of hydrogen hubs for production and export to the country’s major energy trading partners across Asia.
Funding options from existing and newly announced Australian government research and development programmes are being assessed under the AUD 1.9bn ($1.36bn) state scheme to development renewable technologies.
CNG still important
GEV stressed the new project does not detract from its CNG ambitions. A deal for up to eight CNG Optimum 200 vessels is lined up at Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore in China, but a final contract has not yet been signed.
The company's executive director of corporate and finance, Martin Carolan, told TradeWinds the project has been under development for most of 2020, "as governments globally continue to make significant policy and investment decisions to support the growth of hydrogen as the leader of zero-carbon energy in their energy transition plans".
He added: "Importantly, it leverages of our expertise in pressure vessel design and approvals."
Carolan said GEV would like to pursue a demonstration project in 2021.
He added that there are no shipyards in mind at this stage.
But Carolan said: "Korea is an export market seeking zero-carbon fuels focused on hydrogen, so there could be some synergies. We also have a strategic relationship with CIMC Raffles for the CNG Optimum."
Accelerated programme
As for the cost of the H2, the executive said the company has an internal estimate.
"However, it is too early to say at this stage until we complete the next stage of engineering and approvals, and then engage with the yards," he said.
GEV is eyeing an accelerated programme for the ship design, including developing the cargo containment system.
The vessel and the cargo system are in the patent process.
The idea is to use ambient-temperature hydrogen at a target pressure of 3,600 psi in the system.
Chief executive Maurice Brand said: "GEV sees Australia as the global leader for establishing a national hydrogen strategy and industry with major funding programmes in place.
"Australia has also established future hydrogen export agreements with regional customers in Japan, Korea, Singapore, and most recently Germany."
Timely focus
He added: "Our company was established on entrepreneurial principles and to be the leader in new forms of marine transport of energy.
"To be focused on a new class of vessel to transport hydrogen is now timely given the global push by governments and major corporates to focus on net-zero carbon policies, with hydrogen as a pillar for decarbonising heavy carbon emission industries."
With the rapid advancement of fuel cell technology for vessels, GEV intends to include engines that burn pure hydrogen, providing a zero-carbon shipping solution.
Wide range of industries targeted
The vessel is likely to be used to supply hydrogen to other vessels, road hauliers, and the steel, cement and fertiliser industries, among others.
"GEV has commenced discussions with several technical groups to fast-track the screening of viable options for a compressed hydrogen supply chain," the company said.
There is a growing list of Australian hydrogen projects moving through successful pilot and into a domestic scale-up phase that have export plans, the company said.
GEV has started to identify a shortlist of suitable projects. Exports will be shipped from the north-west of Australia.
