BeHydro rolls out first 1 MW hydrogen-powered engine

BeHydro, a joint venture company of Ghent-based engine builder ABC and Antwerp-based shipping company CMB, has launched the first hydrogen-powered dual-fuel engine with a capacity of 1 megawatt (MW).

Over the past three years, BeHydro has developed, produced, and extensively tested a dual-fuel (diesel-hydrogen) engine with a capacity of 1 MW.

Based on this technology, larger engines of up to 10 MW can also be produced, CMB said.

As explained, due to dual-fuel technology, the engine can continue to supply power, even if no renewable energy or hydrogen is available.

A 1 MW BeHydro hydrogen-powered engine can supply green electricity to 3,000 families in Belgium and reduces CO2 emissions by 3,500 tons.

The engine produces as much energy as 1 wind turbine of 3 MW or 36,000 solar panels, according to the JV.

Tim Berckmoes, CEO of ABC, said that the dual-fuel engines will be installed on the HydroTug, the world’s first tug to powered by hydrogen.

“BeHydro has already received its first order for 2 x 2 MW dual-fuel engines that will be installed on board the HydroTug,” he added.

To remind, the Port of Antwerp ordered the construction of the tug in 2019 as part of its strategy towards becoming a CO2-neutral port.

In the first phase, 100 hydrogen-powered engines can be produced per year, based on the developer’s estimates.

In addition, BeHydro is developing a mono-fuel hydrogen engine that will be ready by the second quarter of 2021.

“BeHydro reinforces the recently announced EU vision on hydrogen and proves that the energy transition for large-scale applications is possible today,” Alexander Saverys, CEO of CMB explained.

“These include main engines for coastal shipping, inland shipping and tugboats, auxiliary engines for deep-sea vessels, but also trains and electricity generators for hospitals and data centres. In theory, any large diesel engine can be replaced by a BeHydro engine. The hydrogen future starts today!”