Samsung Heavy Industries is launching the development of fuel cells to supply power to unmanned autonomous ships and floating data centers.
Samsung Heavy Industries said it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Japan's Morimura SOFC Technology at its Pangyo R&D Center on November 9 to develop and commercialize solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Attendees included Kim Kyung-hee, vice president and head of Samsung Heavy Industries' future business division, and Sato Yoshikuni, Morimura's representative director and president.
The companies will jointly research and develop SOFCs for use in ships and data centers by 2028. Samsung Heavy Industries will handle the design of large-capacity products, system integration and commercialization, while Morimura will supply cells and stacks, the core components of power generation.
An SOFC generates electricity through a chemical reaction between fuel and oxygen using a solid ceramic electrolyte. A stack consists of multiple layers of cells, the smallest units that generate electricity, to increase output and voltage. Fuel supply equipment, thermal management facilities and other components are then added to form a power generation system.
Samsung Heavy Industries is focusing on the higher power generation efficiency and potential carbon emissions reductions of SOFCs compared with conventional engines. The company says their ability to use existing fuels such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as hydrogen, makes them suitable for ships.
For ships, the company plans to use SOFCs as a power source to support unmanned autonomous operation and electrification while responding to carbon emissions regulations. Samsung Heavy Industries believes installing SOFCs would also help automate maintenance, as their condition could be diagnosed remotely from shore and maintenance support provided.
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Data center power supply is another application. Samsung Heavy Industries is considering broader use of SOFCs in floating data centers for which it is currently pursuing orders. The aim is to strengthen the competitiveness of the business by incorporating a generation system that can secure power quickly.
The partnership focuses on combining Samsung Heavy Industries' system integration capabilities, accumulated through shipbuilding and offshore facility operations, with Morimura's fuel cell technology. Through joint development, the companies will pursue the commercialization of large-capacity SOFCs for ships and data centers.
Original Korean article: ZDNet Korea
English brief by Korea Wind Intelligence, koreawindintel.com
