Results show that a hydrogen fuel cell-battery series hybrid system can enable near-zero operational emissions but with higher upstream emissions.
The study, “Do battery and fuel cell systems have the potential to reduce vessel life cycle emissions? – A comparative LCA study for a Norwegian coastal fishing vessel”, uses a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment (LCA) to compare three onboard power systems for a 10.5-meter gillnet vessel:
- a conventional diesel-mechanical system (DMS),
- a diesel–battery parallel hybrid system (PHS), and
- a hydrogen fuel cell–battery series hybrid system (SHS).
The functional unit, “energy supply for one day of fishing”, translates results into impacts that are meaningful for fishers and operators. Sensitivity analyses were used to test how operational conditions and supply-chain factors influence environmental performance.
The findings show that direct emissions from fuel combustion (DMS) have the biggest negative impact on the climate and health, while the manufacturing of batteries, fuel cells and other components for the hybrid systems has negative consequences in terms of toxicity for ecological and human health at the point of manufacture. Of the three systems, SHS achieves the greatest direct emission reductions—up to 92%—when low-carbon electricity and hydrogen produced in Norway from renewable energy are used. However, the performance of both hybrid systems depends strongly on key parameters such as the electricity mix, hydrogen source, and component replacement rates.
Overall, the study concludes that SHS can enable near-zero operational emissions but come with higher technological, cost and infrastructure risks. In contrast, PHS offer around 30% climate-impact reduction with more mature technologies and existing fuel infrastructure, providing a practical near-term pathway for many coastal vessels.
This study was conducted as part of the ZeroKyst KSP project and a PhD research effort. The detailed research paper is currently under review for journal submission, with a pre-print version available here: “Do battery and fuel cell systems have the potential to reduce vessel life cycle emissions? – A comparative LCA study for a Norwegian coastal fishing vessel”.
