Corvus Energy’s Pelican fuel cell system, which was developed through the three-year-long H2NOR project, has received Type Approval from DNV.
The system is said to be the first fuel cell system (FCS) designed to be inherently gas-safe. Receiving type approval from DNV confirms that the Corvus Pelican fuel cell system meets the performance and safety standards required by the maritime industry.
Olaf Drews, Head of Engines and Pressurised Equipment Maritime said: “It is a special fuel cell system, because the Pelican uses nitrogen for inerting of the fuel cell space. It is the first fuel cell system that uses this technology and this brings it to a very preferred safety level. This is a milestone, and we look forward to the first ship project.”
Despite technology improvements and advancements in battery electric vessels, most vessels cannot achieve zero-emission operations for extended periods of time using batteries alone. For vessels on longer routes and vessels that are unable to charge often enough, clean fuel and fuel cells are needed to enable extended zero-emission capabilities.
Corvus` CEO, Fredrik Witte added: “Toyota`s unsurpassed knowledge in developing high-quality and efficient fuel cells, in addition to the strong collaboration and high level of maritime experience among the partners in this development project, has been key. This is a milestone for net zero shipping. We now have a high-quality range extender to add to our existing ESS portfolio with the scalability and the safety needed to be a real driver in the future of marine decarbonisation.”
The building block of the Pelican FCS is a PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell module from Toyota.
Thiebault Paquet, VP Toyota Hydrogen Factory Europe said: “DNV Type Approval demonstrates that Toyota fuel cell technology is transferable to the marine sector and is a viable solution to support maritime decarbonisation efforts.”
Combining proven fuel cell technology with a built-for-maritime design, the inherently gas-safe Corvus Pelican fuel cell system streamlines integration with ship systems. In addition, to optimise power distribution between the fuel cell and energy storage systems, Corvus is developing a real-time advisory system for the shipowner – Corvus CoPilot – a proprietary digital solution designed to increase energy efficiency, enhance performance and extend system lifetime. Corvus CoPilot is complimented by Corvus’ digital solutions for energy storage, which include remote performance monitoring, troubleshooting, and state of health testing.
The first Corvus Pelican fuel cell system has been produced and ready to be installed onboard Skulebas, a 35m fishing and training vessel owned by Vestland County and operated by Måløy Upper Secondary School in Norway. The vessel already has a 1MWh battery system onboard. By adding the Corvus Pelican Fuel Cell System and hydrogen storage, the vessel will be able to operate for four days on zero emission.
Image: Corvus Energy Pelican fuel cell system features an inherently gas safe design based on fuel cell technology from Toyota (credit: Corvus Energy)
