Norway-based cleantech company TECO 2030 and its partners have been awarded a €13.5 million ($14.9 million) Horizon Europe grant to build and demonstrate a passenger ferry powered by TECO 2030 fuel cells.
The partnership comprises of 14 members from seven different European nations, and it spans the entire innovation value chain, working with academic institutions, technology developers, shipyards, maritime engineering firms, and class societies.
TECO 2030, an engineering and equipment development company focusing on a greener and cleaner environment, has been allocated a grant of EUR 2.3 million.
The project’s major goal is to accelerate the transition to the safe use of renewable fuels in waterborne transportation through a full-scale demonstration of hydrogen fuel cells in maritime applications.
The Company is developing hydrogen fuel cells that make ships and other heavy-duty applications emissions-free.
The Company is also developing other solutions to help the maritime industry reduce its emissions, such as exhaust gas cleaning and carbon capture systems for ships.
The Building of a Hydrogen-Powered Passenger Ferry Project
According to TECO 2030, the project is being powered through the Horizon Innovation Action project.
The collabo intends to design, construct, and showcase a 35-meter, 300-passenger vessel that will operate in Southern Europe propelled by its FCM400 fuel cell technology.[1]
TECO 2030 will collaborate with consortium partners to develop the vessel’s value chain, ensuring operational requirements, including a functional hydrogen refueling system, infrastructure, cost optimization, and efficient data management.
The project proposal, submitted in April 2023, has been evaluated by European Commission for Excellence, Impact, and Quality experts.
It has been invited for Horizon Europe Grant Agreement Preparation, with the grant preparation process expected to be finalized later this year and the project starting date around January 2024.
“I’m proud to announce that we have won our second Horizon Europe project! Winning two EU projects out of two attempts is an extraordinary achievement. I would like to thank our partners and our internal proposal writing team for their strong efforts,” said the Director of Business Development at TECO 2030, Fredrik Aarskog.
Renewable hydrogen is crucial for combating climate change by limiting greenhouse gas emissions to a “well below 2°C scenario,” as agreed by over 190 states in the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Waterborne transport, particularly large seagoing vessels, contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) reached a global agreement in 2018 to reduce total GHG emissions from maritime transport by at least 50% by 2050.
“We are thrilled to continue to showcase how hydrogen can contribute to the reduction of harmful emissions within the marine industry. This project has the potential to enable seaborne passenger transport without any emissions,” said the Group CEO of TECO 2030, Tore Enger.
“Our fuel cells are the first purpose-developed marine fuel cells, with an industry-leading footprint without compromising efficiency,” added Enger.
References
- TECO 2030, ‘TECO 2030 and partners to receive EUR 13.5 million Horizon Europe grant for passenger ferry project’, 24 July 2023, https://teco2030.no/news/teco-2030-and-partners-to-receive-eur-135-million-horizon-europe-grant-for-passenger-ferry-project-17986949/[↩]
