Applications & Pathways

This study focuses on the power systems of inland waterway vessels in Chinese Yangtze River systematically outlining the low-carbon technology pathways for different power system types. A comparative analysis is conducted on the technical feasibility emission reduction potential and economic viability of LNG methanol ammonia pure electric and hybrid power systems revealing the bottlenecks hindering the large-scale application of each system. Key findings indicate that: (1) LNG and methanol fuels offer significant short-term emission reductions in internal combustion engine power systems yet face constraints from methane slip and insufficient green methanol production capacity respectively; (2) ammonia enables zero-carbon operations but requires breakthroughs in combustion stability and synergistic control of NOX; (3) electric vessels show high decarbonization potential but battery energy density limits their range while PEMFC lifespan constraints and SOFC thermal management deficiencies impede commercialization; (4) hybrid/range-extended power systems with superior energy efficiency and lower retrofitting costs serve as transitional solutions for existing vessels though challenged by inadequate energy management strategies and multi-equipment communication protocol interoperability. A phased transition pathway is proposed: LNG/methanol engines and hybrid systems dominate during 2025–2030; ammonia-powered systems and solid-state batteries scale during 2030–2035; post-2035 operations achieve zero-carbon shipping via green hydrogen/ammonia.

To reduce fossil fuel dependency in shipping adopting alternative fuels and innovative propulsion systems is essential. Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) powered by hydrogen carriers represent a promising solution. This study investigates a multi-fuel SOFC system for ocean-going vessels capable of operating with ammonia methanol or hydrogen thus enhancing bunkering flexibility. A thermodynamic model is developed to simulate the performance of a 3 kW small-scale system subsequently scaling up to a 10 MW configuration to meet the power demand of a container ship used as the case study. Results show that methanol is the most efficient fueling option reaching a system efficiency of 58% while ammonia and hydrogen reach slightly lower values of about 55% and 51% respectively due to higher auxiliary power consumption. To assess technical feasibility two installation scenarios are considered for accommodating multiple fuel tanks. The first scenario seeks the optimal fuel share equivalent to the diesel tank’s chemical energy (17.6 GWh) minimizing mass increase. The second scenario optimizes the fuel share within the available tank volume (1646 m3 ) again minimizing mass penalties. In both cases feasibility results have highlighted that changes are needed in terms of cargo reduction equal to 20.3% or alternatively in terms of lower autonomy with an increase in refueling stops. These issues can be mitigated by the benefits of increased bunkering flexibility

This report assesses the market readiness of zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles and the required infrastructure to meet the 45% emission reduction targets set by the revised CO2 standards by 2030. Achieving these goals requires the widespread adoption of zero-emission vehicles and a robust recharging and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure Three main aspects are investigated: the market readiness of the vehicles considering both the demand and supply side the corresponding infrastructure requirements and the barriers. Building on the inputs of the stakeholders a ‘study scenario’ is developed. This scenario shows a concrete picture of what the zero-emission heavy-duty vehicle fleet and its infrastructure requirement could look like by 2030. There are however key barriers that need to be overcome such as high total cost of ownership limited electricity grid capacity lengthy permitting processes and uncertainty in hydrogen availability and pricing. Stakeholders also emphasize the importance of policy drivers such as emissions trading systems and tolling and tax reforms to stimulate demand. In conclusion achieving the 2030 targets demands a coordinated approach involving manufacturers operators and policymakers to address infrastructure gaps market barriers and policy incentives ensuring the transition to a zero-emission HDV fleet.

Against the backdrop of the global transition towards clean energy deep-sea wind-power hydrogen production integrates offshore wind with green hydrogen technology. Addressing the technical coupling complexity and the impact of uncertain hydrogen prices this paper develops a capacity optimization model. The model incorporates floating wind turbine output the technical distinctions between alkaline (ALK) electrolyzers and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers and the synergy with energy storage. Under three hydrogen price scenarios the results demonstrate that as the price increases from 26 CNY/kg to 30 CNY/kg the optimal ALK capacity decreases from 2.92 MW to 0.29 MW while the PEM capacity increases from 3.51 MW to 5.51 MW. Correspondingly the system’s Net Present Value (NPV) exhibits an upward trend. To address the limitations of traditional methods in handling multi-dimensional benefit correlations and information ambiguity a comprehensive benefit evaluation framework encompassing economic technical environmental and social synergies was constructed. Sensitivity analysis indicates that the comprehensive benefit level falls within a relatively high-efficiency interval. The numerical characteristics an entropy value of 3.29 and a hyper-entropy of 0.85 demonstrate compact result distribution and robust stability validating the applicability and stability of the proposed offshore wind–hydrogen benefit assessment model.

Crude oil distillation is one of the most energy-intensive processes in petroleum refining consuming up to 20% of total refinery energy. Improving the energy efficiency of crude distillation units (CDUs) is essential for reducing costs lowering emissions and achieving sustainable refining. Current studies often examine energy savings operational flexibility or renewable energy integration separately. This review brings these aspects together focusing on heat integration advanced control systems and renewable energy options such as solar-assisted preheating and green hydrogen. Advanced column designs including dividing-wall and hybrid systems can cut energy use by 15–30% while AI-based optimization improves process stability and flexibility. Solar-assisted preheating can reduce fossil fuel demand by up to 20% and green hydrogen offers strong potential for decarbonization. Our findings highlight that integrated strategies including advanced simulation tools and machine learning significantly improve CDU performance. We recommend exploring hybrid algorithms renewable energy integration and sustainable technologies to address these challenges and achieve long-term environmental and economic benefits.

Replacing the energy density and convenience of diesel fuel for all forms of fossil fuel-powered trains presents significant challenges. Unlike the traditional evolutions of rail which has largely self-optimised to different fuels and cost structures over 150 years the challenges now present with a timeline of just a few decades. Fortunately unlike the mid-1800s simulation and modelling tools are now quite advanced and a full range of scenarios of operations and train trips can be simulated before new traction systems are designed. Full trip simulations of large heavy haul trains or high speed passenger trains are routinely completed controlled by emulations of human drivers or automated control systems providing controls of the “virtual train”. Recent developments in digital twins can be used to develop flexible and dynamic models of passenger and freight rail systems to support the new complexities of decarbonisation efforts. Interactions between many different traction components and the train multibody system can be considered as a system of systems. Adopting this multi-modelling paradigm enables the secure and integrated interfacing of diverse models. This paper demonstrates the application of the multi-modelling approach to develop digital twins for rail decarbonisation traction and it presents physics-based multi-models that include key components required for studying rail decarbonisation problems. Specifically the challenge of evaluating zero-emission options is addressed by adding further layers of modelling to the existing fully detailed multibody dynamics simulations. The additional layers detail control options energy storage the alternate traction system components and energy management systems. These traction system components may include both electrical system and inertia dynamics models to accurately represent the driveline and control systems. This paper presents case study examples of full trip scenarios of both long haul freight trains and higher speed passenger trains. These results demonstrate the many complex scenarios that are difficult to anticipate. Flowing on from this risks can be assessed and practical designs of zero-emission systems can be proposed along with the required recharging or refuelling systems.

The shipping industry remains heavily dependent on heavy fuel oils which account for approximately 77% of fuel consumption and contribute significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In line with the IMO’s decarbonization targets ammonia has emerged as a promising carbon-free alternative. This study evaluates the strategic viability of ammonia especially green production as a marine fuel through a hybrid SWOT–Best–Worst Method (BWM) analysis combining literature insights with expert judgment. Data were collected from 17 maritime professionals with an average of 15.7 years of experience ensuring robust sectoral representation and methodological consistency. The results highlight that opportunities hold the greatest weight (0.352) particularly the criteria “mandatory carbonfree by 2050” (O3:0.106) and “ammonia–hydrogen climate solution” (O2:0.080). Weaknesses rank second (0.270) with “higher toxicity than other marine fuels” (W5:0.077) as the most critical concern. Strengths (0.242) underscore ammonia’s advantage as a “carbonfree and sulfur-free fuel” (S1:0.078) while threats (0.137) remain less influential though “costly green ammonia” (T3:0.035) and “uncertainty of green ammonia” (T1:0.034) present notable risks. Overall the analysis suggests that regulatory imperatives and environmental benefits outweigh safety technical and economic challenges. Ammonia demonstrates strong potential to serve as viable marine fuel in achieving the maritime sector’s long-term decarbonization goals.

This study presents a techno-economic and environmental optimization of hydrogen-based hybrid energy systems (HESs) for Broken Hill City Council in New South Wales Australia. Two configurations are evaluated: Configuration 1 includes solar PV battery fuel cell electrolyzer and hydrogen storage while Configuration 2 includes solar PV fuel cell electrolyzer and hydrogen storage but excludes the battery. The system is optimized using advanced metaheuristic algorithms such as Harris Hawks Algorithm (HHA) Red-Tailed Hawk Algorithm and Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II while ensuring real-time supply–demand balance and system stability through a robust energy management strategy. This integrated approach simultaneously determines the optimal sizes of PV arrays battery storage (where applicable) fuel cells electrolyzers and hydrogen storage units and maintains reliable energy supply. Results show that HHA Configuration 1 achieves the lowest net present cost of $338111 a levelized cost of electricity of $0.185/kWh and a levelized cost of hydrogen of $4.60/kg. Sensitivity analysis reveals that PV module and hydrogen storage costs significantly impact system economics while improving fuel cell efficiency from 40% to 60% can reduce costs by up to 40%. Beyond cost-effectiveness life cycle analysis demonstrates annual CO2 emission reductions exceeding 500000 kg compared to an equivalent diesel generator system meeting the same load demand. Socio-economic assessments further indicate that the HES can support improvements in the Human Development Index by enhancing access to healthcare education and economic opportunities while also creating local jobs in PV installation battery maintenance and hydrogen infrastructure. These findings establish hydrogen-based HES as a scalable cost-effective and environmentally sustainable solution for energy access in remote areas.

Enhancing the economics of microgrid systems and achieving a balance between energy supply and demand are critical challenges in capacity allocation research. Existing studies often neglect the optimization of electrolyzer efficiency and multi-stack operation leading to inaccurate assessments of system benefits. This paper proposes a capacity allocation model for wind-PV-hydrogen integrated microgrid systems that incorporates hydrogen production efficiency optimization. This paper analyzes the relationship between the operating efficiency of the electrolyzer and the output power regulates power generation-load mismatches through a renewable energy optimization model and establishes a double-layer optimal configuration framework. The inner layer optimizes electrolyzer power allocation across periods to maximize operational efficiency while the outer layer determines configuration to maximize daily system revenue. Based on the data from a demonstration project in Jiangsu Province China a case study is conducted to verify that the proposed method can improve system benefits and reduce hydrogen production costs.

The integration of more-electric technologies into aero-engines has revolutionized their multi-power architectures substantially improving system maintainability and operational reliability. This advancement has established more-electric systems as a cornerstone of modern aerospace electrification research. Concurrently liquid hydrogen (LH2) emerges as a transformative solution for next-generation power generation systems particularly in enabling the transition from 100 kW to megawatt-class propulsion systems. Beyond its superior energy density LH2 demonstrates dual functionality in thermal management: it serves as both an efficient coolant for power electronics (e.g. controllers) and a cryogenic source for superconducting motor applications. This study systematically investigates the electrification pathway for LH2-fueled aero-engine multi-electric systems. First we delineate the technical framework elucidating its architectural characteristics and associated challenges. Subsequently we conduct a comprehensive analysis of three critical subsystems including LH2 storage and delivery systems cryogenic cooling systems for superconducting motors and Thermal management systems for high-power electronics. Finally we synthesize current research progress and propose strategic directions to accelerate the development of LH2-powered more-electric aero-engines addressing both technical bottlenecks and future implementation scenarios.