Today, Hornblower Group revealed that it had received an $8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to support a three-year project it launched in 2021 to produce green hydrogen through hydroelectric power.
The project’s initiative shows how to employ zero-carbon hydroelectric power in water electrolysis. Which could create and grant access to green hydrogen for ferries and marine boats and expand hydrogen usage on land, such as hydrogen fuel cell automobiles. Hornblower said they expected fueling to be available at the start of 2024.
The funding is part of the DOE’s effort to create cost-effective hydrogen generation, storage, transport, and usage. Cameron Clark, chief strategy and business development officer at Hornblower Group, validated the DOE’s grant saying, “Hydrogen technology will very likely play an important role in zero-emission energy efforts for years to come, and while this new project is uncharted territory for the entire industry, Hornblower is dedicated to sustainable practices both on land and on the water. We appreciate the leadership and support from the DOE in demonstrating and supporting promising green energy projects.”
In this new project, Hornblower has every intention of fully comprehending the feasibility and viability of hydrogen production, storage, and fuel on the water; while also establishing substantial science-based protocols, procedures, and operating parameters. Hornblower intends to integrate the system of green hydrogen production via water electrolysis and hydrogen power generation via a fuel cell. The Company believes this process is what will bring commercial hydrogen technology to the maritime industry.
Hornblower Group partnered with SWITCH Maritime to operate the Sea Change. They hope to make the first-ever zero-emission commercial ferry powered entirely by hydrogen fuel cell technology.
The Sea Change is now going through testing and proof on concept trials with the U.S. Coast Guard in Puget Sound near where it was built. It will operate a test program with the California Air Resources Board and begin carrying its first passengers. Once it completes its Coast Guard certification, the ferry is intended to get repositioned in San Francisco Bay, near Hornblower headquarters.
Hornblower continues to make valiant efforts to create sustainable and economical fuel and carve the way towards a range of possibilities and applications while maintaining the ocean’s ecosystem. The Group is also working on a project funded by the Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration for a fuel cell battery, hybrid ferry known as Discover Zero.
