China's first 500kW hydrogen fuel powered ship commences operation

[Caribbeans]

CGTN | Liu Wei | 21-Mar-2023

China's first service ship powered by a 500-kilowatt hydrogen fuel cell has been put into operation in Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, according to China Three Gorges Corporation on Monday.

The service ship, Three Gorges hydrogen ship No.1, uses homegrown hydrogen fuel cells and a lithium battery system and will be used for transportation, patrol and emergency in the Three Gorges reservoir area.

The ship marks a significant breakthrough for China's new energy shipbuilding, heralding the exploration into applying hydrogen technology to inland vessels...

...China has been witnessing rapid growth in modified and newly built hydrogen-powered ships. The domestic hydrogen fuel cell market is predicted to reach over 10 billion yuan (about $1.45 billion)...more
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2023-03-21/China-s-first-500kW-hydrogen-fuel-powered-ship-commences-operation--1imgAh2OSA0/index.html

[orthoclad]

1. Ocean vesels

burn a lot of energy, especially now that corporations have shipped manufacturing to low-wage countries and we have massive supply lines.

Back in the 70s "energy crisis", there were proposals for computer-controlled sailing ships. I guess now we'd call them hybrids. They would supplement the engines with electrically-trimmed sail panels taking maximum calculated advantage of wind. Another tech that got buried so we can burn more oil.

edit: this is a freshwater ship, but, damn, I wish we'd get clean ocean vessels.