The 700 kW system builds on H2SITE’s previous maritime deployments and is designed as a modular, replicable solution for auxiliary power onboard vessel.

H2SITE has secured €3.4 million (NOK 39.1 million) in funding from Enova for HydraNord Power, a project that will develop and validate a commercial-scale onboard ammonia-to-power system for the maritime sector.

Enova is one of the Norwegian government’s primary instruments for accelerating the country’s climate and energy transition. Its primary responsibility is to manage the Climate and Energy Fund on behalf of the Norwegian government. For H2SITE, Enova’s support is a major milestone in the commercialisation of its onboard ammonia cracking technology, enabling the company to scale from proven maritime demonstrations to replicable commercial solutions for the global shipping industry.

Led by H2SITE, HydraNord Power will convert ammonia into high-purity hydrogen directly onboard vessels. The system will produce up to one tonne of hydrogen per day and supply maritime fuel cells delivering 700 kW of net electrical power.

The project represents a step-change in scale for H2SITE. It builds on several smaller maritime ammonia-to-hydrogen projects, including units already in operation. With an output representative of commercial auxiliary power requirements onboard vessels, HydraNord Power moves the technology beyond smaller-scale demonstrations and towards repeatable commercial deployment.

H2SITE’s membrane reactor integrates ammonia cracking and hydrogen separation in a single process, producing fuel-cell-grade hydrogen while protecting the fuel cells from ammonia contamination. Its compact and modular architecture is designed for both newbuild and retrofit projects, as well as fuel-cell-only and hybrid power systems. Multiple modules can be deployed in parallel to address larger power requirements, providing a standardised building block for future multi-megawatt installations.

“HydraNord Power takes ammonia-to-power from successful smaller deployments into a commercially relevant power range,” said Andrés Galnares, CEO of H2SITE. “At 700 kW net, we are addressing a real onboard power requirement with a standardised system that can be replicated across vessels and scaled into larger installations. Enova’s support allows us to demonstrate this under representative operating conditions and opens a significant market opportunity in maritime segments where direct electrification is not viable.”

HydraNord Power brings together H2SITE, Equinor, Höegh Autoliners, Breeze Ship Design, Sustainable Energy Catapult Centre, Alltec and Maritime CleanTech. Together, the partners cover vessel requirements, system design, fuel cells, site integration, testing and project coordination, ensuring that the solution is developed around real maritime operating needs rather than as a standalone technology demonstration.

The complete system will be installed and tested at Energy House in Stord, Norway, under conditions representative of commercial maritime operations. Development and integration will take place during 2027, with commissioning planned for early 2028.

HydraNord Power initially targets auxiliary and hybrid power applications in deep-sea shipping, offshore operations and other energy-intensive maritime segments. Its standardised modular design will enable the same core technology to be deployed across different vessel classes and power levels, creating a repeatable path from first commercial installations to broader fleet adoption.