BeHydro, the joint venture set up by Compagnie Maritime Belge (CMB) and engine builder ABC, has now unveiled the first hydrogen dual-fuel internal combustion engine with a power output of 1 MW (1,341 hp).
The engine has received Lloyd’s Register Approval in Principal and has been developed, produced and tested over the past three years.
BeHydro says that, based on the technology, larger engines of up to 10 MW can be produced
The company has already received orders for two 2 MW dual fuel engines to power the dual-fuel HydroTug ordered last year by the Port of Antwerp (see earlier story).
In a first phase, BeHydro says it can produce up to 100 hydrogen-powered engines per year. In addition, a mono-fuel hydrogen engine will be ready by the second quarter of 2021.
Alexander Saverys, CEO of CMB says that in addition to main engines for coastal shipping, inland shipping and tugboats, and auxiliary engines for deep-sea vessels, other potential applications are in trains and electricity generators for hospitals and data centers.
“In theory, any large diesel engine can be replaced by a BeHydro engine,” says Saverys. “The hydrogen future starts today!”