The marine fuel market should be the next target for fuel cells according to an expert.

Tom Chicken of Fuel Cell Systems notes that boat owners often run their generators for an hour every morning and evening to charge the boat’s batteries, to provide onboard power – and the marine fuel generators are noisy and often have dirty emissions.

If marinas could provide boats with hydrogen, then boat owners would just need to fill up with hydrogen and then use it to run the fuel cells directly.

“The [fuel cell] units are lightweight so they’re easily portable, and compact so they don’t take up much space on the boat. They are virtually silent when operational – perfect for maintaining the peace and quiet of the harbour,” Mr Chicken says.

“And as they produce no emissions other than heat and water, they can be used in the cabin and stored close to food or equipment. Furthermore, with no moving parts, fuel cells require little to no maintenance, making them a cost-effective solution.”

Source: The Hydrogen Journal