A close up of the MV Sea Change vessel.
The world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial passenger ferry will run on San Francisco Bay.
It will run as a part of a sustainability initiative, thereby reducing dependence on diesel-powered vessels and carbon emissions, as per California officials.
Investment firm SWITCH Maritime financed and managed the project. It was constructed at Bay Ship and Yacht in Alameda, California, and All-American Marine in Bellingham, Washington.
Called MV Sea Change – the catamaran is 70-feet long and will carry up to 75 passengers along the waterfront between Pier 41 and the downtown San Francisco ferry terminal.
The services are likely to commence on July 19 and will be free of cost for the first six months as it’s a part of the pilot program.
Jim Wunderman, chair of the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority, revealed that it has huge implications since it probably wouldn’t be the last such project.
“If we can operate this successfully, there are going to be more of these vessels in our fleet and in other folks’ fleets in the United States and we think in the world,” he added.
The vessel is capable of traveling about 300 nautical miles, operating for around 16 hours post which it needs refueling.
The technology that works behind this vessel is pretty interesting. The fuel cells combine hydrogen and oxygen in an electrochemical reaction, emitting water as a by-product.
One of the major benefits of hydrogen-powered commercial ferries is that they massively help in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants when compared to their diesel-powered counterparts.
Apart from this, hydrogen-powered vehicles are cheap, providing green energy and leading to more job creation in the space.
Using this technology there can be a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The shipping industry generates nearly 3% of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions, believe the officials.
Frank Wolak, president and CEO of the Fuel Cell & Hydrogen Energy Association, stressed the importance of the ferry and said that it’s pretty hard to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vessels.
According to him, “The real value of this is when you multiply out by the number of ferries operating around the world. There’s great potential here. This is how you can start chipping away at the carbon intensity of your ports.”
Even though all these initiatives seem lucrative, are there any pollution and climate-related risks associated with hydrogen-based vessels? Environmental activists say yes.
To begin with, the production method of hydrogen is pretty hazardous since it contains methane which involves natural gas, releasing carbon dioxide in the air.
Apart from this, the production and transportation of hydrogen could be really energy-intensive, thus negating all the climate benefits. Lastly, handling hydrogen requires proper expertise. Any kind of leak during production, storage and transport could affect the climate in a derogatory manner.
Additionally, the flammability and low energy density in hydrogen can be challenging both to humans and the environment.
Equipped with advanced technology and capable expertise, the Sea Change project is likely to overlook existing challenges and promote sustainability in a better way. The future will say whether or not it can do that efficiently.
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Gairika Mitra Gairika is a technology nerd, an introvert, and an avid reader. Lock her up in a room full of books, and you'll never hear her complain.
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