Doosan Fuel Cell rolls its sleeves to develop and demonstrate green marine fuel cells, teaming up with Shell, a global energy company.
Doosan Fuel Cell unveiled that they signed a Letter of Intent for cooperation in marine fuel cell demonstration with Shell and KSOE on February 7^th. Shell is a global leading company in energy and petrochemical sectors, expanding its horizon to the green energy market to achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. KSOE, having Hyundai Heavy Industry as a subsidiary, is a leading company in the shipbuilding and offshore market.

Three companies will build a consortium for developing and testing marine fuel cells. They intend to include ship owners, ship builders and maritime classification societies in the consortium moving forward.

Signing the LOI, Doosan Fuel Cell will apply low temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells(SOFCs), which are under development, to

▲developing marine SOFC systems,
▲manufacturing and supplying marine SOFCs and
▲providing maintenance services. On the other hand, Shell will be in charge of
▲ship orders and management,
▲ship operation and
▲applicability project management. KSOE will
▲install maritime fuel cells and
▲modify and integrate systems for marine applications.

Three companies are planning to operate a vessel powered by 600kW marine SOFC as an Auxiliary Power Unit(APU) over a year in shipping routes so that they can develop an optimal system.

Doosan Fuel Cell will complete its marine fuel cell systems and get the systems marine certified by 2024. Commercialization of systems are scheduled in 2025, allowing Doosan Fuel Cell to lead the market. According to International Maritime Organization(IMO)’s 2018 GHG strategy, total annual GHG emissions from international shipping should be reduced by 50% by 2050 compared to 2008. Expected as alternative green energy, fuel cells for maritime application will be on the horizon around 2030 when the phase 4 (cutting GHG emissions by 40% compared to 2008) is implemented.

“Shell is a global leading leader in the marine industry,” says Jeff Jeong, Doosan Fuel Cell CEO. “Consortium with Shell will lay the foundation for Doosan to expediteour marine fuel cell business, thereby dominating the market. In response to call for deep cuts in greenhouse emissions from international shipping, we will remain committed to commercializing marine fuel cells in 2025. In addition, Doosan is determined to achieve results swiftly in our new businesses, such as mobility and hydrogen refueling stations, not to mention the SOFC development.

“This cooperation is expected to boost maritime applications of fuel cells which will play an important role as an alternative green energy source,” says an official from KSOE. “Moving forward, we will continue to develop green marine technologies to advance further in the green shipping industry.”

Low temperature SOFCs being developed by Doosan Fuel Cell have benefits, such as improved electrical efficiency and longer life since they are up and running at 620℃, lower than traditional running temperature by an approximate 200℃. Having completed SOFC industrialized factory layout design and site selection in the Saemanguem industrial complex last year, Doosan Fuel Cell will finish developing SOFC technologies and build a 50MW factory by 2023, followed by commercialization of stationary SOFCs in 2024 and marine SOFCs in 2025.