[월간수소경제 박상우 기자] Doosan Fuel Cell, Shell, and Korea Offshore & Shipbuilding are going to start a demonstration project that uses solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) as auxiliary power units for ships.
Doosan Fuel Cell announced on the 26th that it had signed a consortium contract with Shell and Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering on the 25th to demonstrate fuel cells for ships. In February, they signed a letter of intent (LOI) for cooperation in demonstration of fuel cells for ships.
With this contract, Doosan Fuel Cell, Shell, and Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering will form a consortium to conduct a demonstration project that uses a 600kW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) as an auxiliary power unit for a ship.
Doosan Fuel Cell will apply the mid- and low-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) currently under development to △develop SOFC systems for ships, △manufacture and supply SOFCs for ships, and △support SOFC services for ships.
Doosan Fuel Cell’s mid-to-low temperature SOFC has high power efficiency and operates at 620°C, which is about 200°C lower than before, and has a relatively long life expectancy.
Doosan Fuel Cell plans to develop a mid-low temperature SOFC by 2023 and build a 50MW plant in the Saemangeum Industrial Complex to have a mass production system. It plans to complete the development of fuel cell system for ships and classification certification by 2024, and enter the market by 2025.
In addition, Shell is in charge of △ship order and management △ship operation △ship SOFC demonstration project management, etc., while Korea Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering △shipment SOFC installation △ship system modification and integration work.
The three companies plan to optimize the system while operating ships on actual trade routes for more than one year by using the 600kW SOFC for ships as auxiliary power units (APUs).