Millennium Cell Inc. has teamed up with Seaworthy Systems and Duffy Electric Boat Company in a demonstration project for California's Center for the Commercial Deployment of Transportation Technologies (CCDoTT) to show the utility of hydrogen fuel for generating power for ships and facilities in ports. The first boat is expected to be in use in Newport Beach (CA) harbor in August of this year.
The Millennium Cell Hydrogen on Demand(TM) system will be installed in a 22-passenger water taxi from Duffy Electric Boat Co. The water taxi will serve the public 10 to 12 hours daily. Seaworthy Systems will provide system integration and engineering for Millennium Cell's technology.
"We are impressed by the research and development provided by Millennium Cell and are enthusiastic about the success of the Hydrogen on Demand(TM) system in maritime applications -- including hydrogen powered fuel cells and internal combustion engines," said Matthew Winkler, Vice President of Seaworthy Systems.
Millennium Cell's hydrogen fuel system minimizes many of the logistical issues associated with hydrogen as it is compatible with the existing infrastructure for liquid petroleum fuels, produces about the same amount of energy per gallon as that of gasoline, and is completely safe to produce, store, and transport. Millennium Cell's Hydrogen on Demand(TM) system generates hydrogen from sodium borohydride, which is derived from sodium borate, commonly known as borax. Dissolved in water and passed through a proprietary catalyst chamber, the sodium borohydride releases a perfect stream of pure hydrogen - on demand - to power a fuel cell or an internal combustion engine. The fuel's byproduct is water and borax.
