A comparison between fuel cells and other alternatives for marine electric power generation

Abstract

The world is facing a challenge in meeting its needs for energy. Global energy consumption in the last half-century has increased very rapidly and is expected to continue to grow over the next 50 years. However, it is expected to see significant differences between the last 50 years and the next. This paper aims at introducing a good solution to replace or work with conventional marine power plants. This includes the use of fuel cell power plant operated with hydrogen produced through water electrolysis or hydrogen produced from natural gas, gasoline, or diesel fuels through steam reforming processes to mitigate air pollution from ships.

Keywords

• Fuel cell
• Marine electric power generation
• Power balance mathematical modeling