Ricardo, a global leader in environmental, engineering, and strategic consulting, has reached a groundbreaking milestone in clean energy technology. The company has successfully achieved a 393kW net electrical power output from its high-powered, multi-stack hydrogen fuel cell module. This achievement, reached within just three months of development from initial start-up, signals a major leap forward for sustainable energy solutions, particularly in the maritime sector.
This development is part of the Sustainable Hydrogen Powered Shipping (sHYpS) Horizon Europe project, which aims to revolutionize the shipping industry by providing zero-emission alternatives. Ricardo’s cutting-edge fuel cell technology is designed to meet the energy demands of diverse applications, including maritime, stationary power generation, rail, and off-highway sectors.
The module’s breakthrough was made possible by Ricardo’s advanced virtual engineering toolchain, which streamlines the prototyping process by reducing costs and risks. The toolchain also accelerates the development timeline, allowing for faster testing and a deeper understanding of system behavior under a range of conditions. This innovation has enabled Ricardo to complete a full transient ship operation test cycle, showcasing the multi-stack hydrogen fuel cell’s ability to perform under realistic operational conditions.
Powering the Future of Shipping
The core of this achievement lies in the module’s innovative modular architecture. By integrating multiple fuel cell stacks, Ricardo’s technology delivers impressive power density and scalability, ensuring it can meet the energy demands of a variety of industries. This technology offers a path to decarbonize sectors traditionally reliant on fossil fuels, such as the shipping industry.
Andy Ennever, Global Head of Fuel Cells at Ricardo, emphasized the significance of this breakthrough: “This is a pivotal moment for hydrogen technology. By reaching this milestone and completing a full transient ship operation test cycle, our multi-stack hydrogen fuel cell technology demonstrates hydrogen’s potential as a clean energy source. It also showcases Ricardo’s expertise in designing and engineering the fuel cell module entirely in-house within the timeframe set out by Horizon Europe, achieving sustained maximum power after just three months of development.”
Ricardo’s hydrogen fuel cell module is not just a stand-alone solution. To support wider adoption, the company has also developed a containerized solution that can scale power output up to 3MW per container. This containerized system integrates multiple fuel cell modules with DC-DC power conversion on board, without compromising efficiency or durability. When expanded to incorporate multiple containers, the system can provide up to 6MW of electrical output—enough to power a 50,000-ton, 1,000-passenger cruise ship through zero-emission mission cycles.
Supporting Maritime Decarbonization
The prototype fuel cell technology is a key element of the sHYpS project, co-funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe research and innovation program. The project brings together a consortium of experts from five European countries—Italy, France, Czechia, Germany, Norway, and the UK—focused on driving the decarbonization of the shipping industry.
Ricardo’s work within the sHYpS project underscores the growing potential of hydrogen as a clean energy source for the maritime sector. With increasing pressure on industries worldwide to reduce carbon emissions, Ricardo’s hydrogen fuel cell technology offers a promising alternative to conventional fossil fuels in powering large vessels.
sHYpS Project
The sHYpS (Sustainable Hydrogen Powered Shipping) project is co-funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe (Grant Agreement Number 101056940) and aims to decarbonize the shipping industry by advancing hydrogen-powered technology. The project is supported by Innovate UK, with UK participants supported by UK Research and Innovation grants. The views expressed in the project are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or Innovate UK.
With Ricardo’s hydrogen fuel cell technology making strides toward decarbonizing the maritime industry, the future of cleaner, greener shipping is rapidly becoming a reality.
About Ricardo
Ricardo is a global environmental and engineering consulting company, renowned for over 100 years of excellence in engineering. The company employs nearly 3,000 people across 20 countries, delivering innovative sustainable solutions for a wide range of sectors, including energy transition, environmental services, and mobility. Ricardo works to support its clients in solving complex, dynamic challenges to create a safe and sustainable world.
As a key player in advancing clean energy technologies, Ricardo continues to focus on developing solutions that promote sustainability across industries. Through the successful development of its hydrogen fuel cell technology, the company is solidifying its position at the forefront of the decarbonization movement in the maritime and other sectors.
Source Ricardo plc