Hydrogen power a step closer with DNV preliminary approval

A combination of liquefied hydrogen and fuels cells developed by Norway’s HAV Group ASA has been awarded preliminary approval by DNV as part of a high-capacity hydrogen energy system. The new setup is likely to be retrofitted to two coastal vessels owned by Havila Kystruten as part of the FreeCo2ast project.  

The early approval is important for HAV Group, which can now start final design work and take a step further towards commercialising the hydrogen-based system. So-called green hydrogen – zero-carbon fuel developed using renewable energy – is likely to be an important future fuel, partly as an enabler for synthetic fuels but also as a sustainable fuel in its own right. But hydrogen is challenging to work with, and an absence of regulations means that systems under development must follow IMO guidelines on alternative design. 

HAV Group CEO, Gunnar Larsen, commented: “Getting a hydrogen energy system off the ground is a complex and very challenging undertaking, and we are very proud to have come this far. Getting to this stage has been the result of four years of cooperation with our internal and external partners in the FreeCo2ast project and excellent support from experts at DNV. Their guidance has been essential in successfully navigating the Alternative Design process.”