Volvo Penta and CMB.TECH collaborate for development of dual-fuel hydrogen engines

Through a partnership agreement, Volvo Penta and CMB.TECH will seek to boost the development of dual-fuel hydrogen-powered solutions for sea and land applications. The duo will conduct joint pilot projects and small-scale industrialization of a hydrogen dual-fuel solution with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

By using CMB.TECH’s knowledge of large marine and industrial applications that can operate on hydrogen and ammonia, and Volvo Penta’s expertise on engines and power systems for vessels and industrial applications, the duo aims to develop and establish low emissions, dual-fuel hydrogen technology while zero-emission options aren’t available.

“In the initial dual-fuel technology projects we have seen reductions of CO2  emissions up to 80%,” said Roy Campe, chief technology officer at CMB.TECH. “It is clear that the energy transition is a major challenge in many types of application. With the dual-fuel technology we have been developing over the last few years, we can provide a cost-effective and robust solution for a variety of applications. We think there is huge potential in this solution for customers, both on land and at sea.”

“The development in this area is moving fast and with this partnership we see a great opportunity to further explore and be part of increasing the use and availability of hydrogen solutions,” added Heléne Mellquist, president at Volvo Penta. “I believe that this dual-fuel approach will appeal to many of our customers by its ease of installation, maintenance and use. In addition, it will help accelerate our customers’ transition to more sustainable operations.”

Through the implementation of reliable dual-fuel solutions, companies and customers will be able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, if hydrogen is not available, the system can still operate using conventional fuels, enabling operations to continue as normal.

The hydrogen-injection system will be designed and tested at CMB.TECH’s Technology and Development Centre in Brentwood, UK. The hydrogen-diesel injection strategy of Volvo Penta’s engines will also be tested to ensure it delivers a high level of reliability and a reduction in emissions.

“The simplicity of the dual-fuel technology allows a quick introduction into many applications,” said Campe. “The potential to decarbonize with green hydrogen is huge, but many applications require a fallback scenario of traditional fuel to maintain a viable business. With the dual-fuel technology, your asset is futureproof, even without a full coverage of a reliable hydrogen infrastructure today.”

“This solution is a valuable tool in reaching our ambitious commitment to the Science Based Targets initiative where we aim to reach net-zero value chain emissions by 2040,” concluded Mellquist. “There is no one-solution-fits-all answer, which is why Volvo Penta is investing heavily in exploring a wide range of sustainable and bridging technologies – such as hybridization, electric drivelines, fuel cells and alternative fuels for combustion engines – giving customers the opportunity to find the technology that works best for their application.”