A Study on the Potential of Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Maritime Transportation Applications

In recent years, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) has focused on exploring hydrogen as part of a comprehensive energy strategy to stimulate technological advances with a goal to enable commercialization of hydrogen fuel cells in broad application domains focusing extensively on Maritime Transportation Applications. The use of hydrogen in the maritime sector as a fuel is becoming important as it eliminates the emission of greenhouse gases from fossil fuel operated systems. The idea of switching from fossil fuel systems into more reliable and affordable clean energy systems can achieve a 70% reduction in carbon emission by the year 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050 [1]. This research study focuses on the zero-emission alternative of using hydrogen fuel cells in place of existing diesel-based propulsion systems on NC coastal ferries. The study evaluates the feasibility of hydrogen fuel cells systems for various ferry routes, as well as the current rules, regulations, and standards required for their implementation. Finally, the goal of the study is to determine if hydrogen fuel cells can be a viable alternative to traditional fossil fuels on North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) ferries.