LR partners with Amogy and Rotoboost on fuel cell and CCS study to support emissions reduction

September 9, 2024, by Sara Kosmajac

UK classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) has entered into a joint development project (JDP) with Norway-headquartered hydrogen company Rotoboost and U.S.-based provider of ammonia-to-power solutions Amogy, seeking to assess opportunities for emissions reduction through a fuel cell and pre-combustion carbon capture storage system (CCS) study.

As per LR, the JDP will evaluate hydrogen fuel cells, ammonia and methane cracking technology as well as CCS from a ‘technical readiness, financial and regulatory’ perspective.

Central to the research are Amogy’s ammonia-to-electrical-power system, Rotoboost’s Marine Hydrogen production technology, as well as PowerCell’s Marine System 200 hydrogen fuel cell.

According to LR, the outcomes of the study would determine the technologies’ ability to cut emissions and costs across a specific container feeder fleet, in regards to the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS), FuelEU and International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) requirements, compared to traditional fuels.

“This JDP represents a significant step forward for alternative forms of propulsion as shipowners explore options to align with the new EU carbon market requirements and international regulations. Lloyd’s Register is working with partners to validate these innovative energy converters and ensure that they offer maximum savings and benefits,” said Jack Spiros Pringle, Lead Consultant, Business Advisory, Lloyd’s Register.

“Amogy’s ammonia-to-power systems provide a clean energy solution for the maritime industry. The adoption of Amogy’s system presents a strong competitive edge by not only lowering carbon emissions for this hard-to-abate sector but also affecting commercial upside by avoiding European carbon taxes and improving compliance with the CII regulations,” Amogy’s CEO Seonghoon Woo added.

Speaking more closely about Rotoboost’s Marine Hydrogen technology, Kaisa Nikulainen, CEO, said that it not only generated solid carbon as a byproduct during the hydrogen production process but also enabled LNG to become a ‘compliant fuel’ in the long run—in addition to its ‘wide availability and affordability.’

“This approach bridges the gap between economic viability and environmental sustainability,” she emphasized.

“This Joint Development Project combines commercial and technical expertise to explore emerging emissions reduction technologies, ultimately driving shipping’s decarbonization through truly sustainable solutions.”

Back in 2023, Rotoboost was awarded LR’s approval in principle (AiP) for its pre-combustion CCS named Rotobox, which uses thermocatalytic decomposition process (TCD) onboard marine vessels to convert a part of the natural gas fuel supply into hydrogen and graphite with a liquid catalyst.

This process was said to greatly reduce CO2 emissions, particulate matter and methane slip by producing hydrogen while capturing carbon in its solid form.

On the other hand, LR awarded Amogy with a feasibility statement for its Technology Qualification Plan (TQP) process in February this year, outlining the full set of component testing that Amogy needed to complete.

The TQP consists of three phases, namely Verification, Validation and a Performance Review. The first phase took place in 2022, while Amogy completed the technology verification phase with LR at the end of 2023.