Providing auxiliary hydrogen power to docked or anchored
ships may soon be added to the list of ways in which hydrogen fuel cells can
provide efficient, emissions-free energy.
Hydrogen fuel cells are already powering mobile lighting
systems, forklifts, emergency backup systems and light-duty trucks, among other
applications. Now, researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have found that
hydrogen fuel cells may be both technically feasible and commercially
attractive as a clean, quiet and efficient power source for ships at berth,
replacing on-board diesel generators.
The Sandia study was completed for the U.S. Department of
Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).