Richard Berkling, CEO of PowerCell Group, writes for Splash today.
Every generation believes its challenges are uniquely complex. However, time and time again, humanity has proven that the impossible simply takes conviction and therefore action. The maritime industry’s shift to renewable energy is no different.
Across industries, the debate over how to transition is giving way to a new reality – the technologies are here, and they work. Hydrogen, fuel cells, and next-generation renewable propulsion and shore power systems are no longer experimental but are being deployed at scale.
However, much of the global transition remains stuck in discussion. Many are waiting for a “perfect” solution, a silver bullet that never comes, while proven systems are already capable of delivering real change. The question is no longer if the transition will happen – it’s who will lead it.
The maritime industry at a crossroads
There are few sectors that illustrate this tension better than the maritime industry. Shipping now faces a defining choice – to continue down the familiar path of small-scale progress and a continued reliance on fossil fuels or to capture the potential of the energy transition’s technology shift.
Hydrogen-powered fuel cell systems are one of the technologies making that choice a reality today. Designed for high-output, marine-grade applications, these systems enable shipowners to reduce emissions, improve efficiency, and prepare for a zero-emission future.
Fuel cells as a scalable solution
Fuel cells are emerging as one of the most technically viable solutions to reduce or eliminate local and GHG emissions in the maritime industry. Operating silently and without combustion, they produce electricity with high efficiency and zero emissions when powered by hydrogen or net-zero when methanol.
Among available current technologies, PEM fuel cells stand out for their responsiveness and power density, making them well-suited to variable load profiles in auxiliary and hybrid systems. When combined with reformer technology, they can also operate on methanol, offering flexibility as the industry navigates evolving fuel pathways.
Their modularity is another advantage as fuel cells can displace auxiliary engines onboard or serve as mobile zero-emission power stations for onshore power supply (OPS), reducing dependence on fossil-powered grids.
Methanol: a practical carrier for hydrogen
As an energy carrier, methanol is gaining traction for its practicality and adaptability. When paired with onboard reformers, methanol-based PEM fuel cells can generate and consume hydrogen in real time, minimising storage requirements and simplifying infrastructure.
Methanol offers a practical pathway for integrating hydrogen electric technologies without relying on pure hydrogen infrastructure. When derived from biomass or renewable hydrogen, green methanol offers significant lifecycle emissions benefits. Plus, methanol can be used approximately 30% more efficiently in fuel cells than in internal combustion engines.
Scaling renewable energy
The global energy shift is no longer about invention, it’s about scale. Across maritime, aviation, and stationary power, hydrogen fuel cells are proving their capability as part of the mainstream energy mix.
Since mid-2024, multiple OEM orders and record growth across industries have demonstrated that hydrogen fuel cells have moved beyond the pilot phase. These milestones represent more than financial success; they are evidence that clean energy technologies can be practical, reliable, and scalable.
From overhyped to underestimated
Every major technological shift follows a familiar pattern. In the beginning, its potential is often overestimated, leading to inflated expectations. Early adopters and investors face setbacks, and those challenges are amplified. But over time, progress steadies – becoming transformative, then irreversible.
It was that way with the internet, mobile phones, and renewable power itself. Once unimaginable, now indispensable. Hydrogen fuel cells are approaching that same inflection point.
The time for waiting has passed. The opportunity now lies in shaping the transition, collaboratively as an industry. The transformation is already underway. The only question is how quickly we choose to be part of it.
