Yanmar Power Technology has reported a successful demonstration of its 500kW hydrogen engine suitable for power generation in coastal vessels.
The land-based trial operated the pilot-ignition hydrogen 4-stroke high-speed engine using a small amount of diesel oil to burn a premixture of hydrogen and air.
Yanmar reported that the engine achieved “the world’s highest hydrogen fuel ratio,” with an output of approximately 500kW. Looking ahead, the Japanese company wants to trial biofuel as the pilot fuel and work towards obtaining class certification before demonstration operations that are scheduled for 2026.
Yanmar undertook the trial as part of the Nippon Foundation’s zero-emission ship demonstration experiment. The project is focused on developing hydrogen-powered vessels and is currently working to combine hydrogen engine generators with batteries.
Additionally, Yanmar will conduct parallel land-based tests for the spark-ignition engine, aiming to “lead the adoption of hydrogen engine-compatible electric propulsion vessels.”
Uno Transtech, Kyoto University, Fukuoka Shipbuilding, Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding, Mirai Shipbuilding and Japan’s National Maritime Research Institute, National Institute of Maritime and Port and Aviation Technology are all part of the consortium alongside Yanmar.
Together, the partners want to advance hydrogen technology for maritime applications.
Building on this progress, Yanmar achieved a 30% hydrogen blend in its 400kW EP400G gas-fired cogeneration system in July (2024), at Daigas’ Carbon Neutral Research ANNEX Torishima site.
Read more: Yanmar and Daigas achieve 30% hydrogen blend in 400kW engine
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