Portsmouth international Port and partners have been working on a project to develop and demonstrate a Green Hydrogen Energy System within the port. Funded by the Clean Maritime Call and lead by Portsmouth University Faculty of Technology, Portsmouth Port have collaborated on a 3-stranded project that will see a 35KW Hydrogen Electrolyser producing ‘Blue’ Hydrogen using electricity from the port’s solar array to ‘crack’ water and produce Hydrogen to be used in a 300HP V* outboard motor being converted by Cox Powertrain Ltd and Brighton University. The motor will be used on a purpose built boat to tow mooring lines, work Harbour patrols and undertake conservancy work. The third strand is a digital twin of the port being created by Knownow Information Ltd, Iotic Labls Ltd and Barter for Thinks Ltd which will determine future power use and resources.
This project is also being supported by the Connected Places Catapult with Hydrogen expertise from Engas Global Ltd, and aims to show how emissions can be reduced in port operations and the scalable nature of the Hydrogen Electrolyser to allow for full commercialisation. Portsmouth aims to have land-based units converted to running on Hydrogen by 2024, an operational Electrolyser on the port before March 2022, and an operational Hydrogen powered port launch on the water by March 2022, all in line with the overarching goal to be Net Carbon Neutral by 2030.