Chambéry– INOCEL and HYmpulsion announce their collaboration to facilitate the first refueling of an experimental hydrogen boat. This operation was carried out at the HYmpulsion hydrogen station located in Chambéry. The runabout type boat, manufactured by the Italian builder Tullio Abbate, known for creating high-performance boats, is equipped with INOCEL’s high-power fuel cell technology, developed and designed for the stationary power generation, heavy mobility, and maritime sectors.
With power and range characteristics equivalent to its thermal counterpart, this demonstrator allows INOCEL to demonstrate that a high-power, high-autonomy hydrogen world is possible without resorting to thermal technologies. Serving as a floating laboratory, currently in the tuning phase, it allows INOCEL to collect data and conduct real-world tests to accelerate the development of its INOCEL Z 300 product. At the end of the tuning phase, this demonstrator will develop a power of 360 kW, enabling it to reach a maximum speed of 50 to 60 knots.
The Chambéry hydrogen station, inaugurated on February 14, 2020, is the first laboratory-station of the Hympulsion network. It has a distribution capacity of 40 Kg/day, available at 350 and 700 Bars, more suitable for light mobility. Upon arrival, the boat’s tank was filled with nitrogen at 5 bars, requiring two successful purging operations. We thank the subcontractors GNVERT (site operation support) and Atawey (manufacturer) for their support and technical expertise during this first implementation stage with the teams from Inocel and Hympulsion.
Subsequently, the boat could be fueled with hydrogen for navigation. The tank has a capacity of 10 kg at 350 bars, with prospects of increasing to 20 kg at 700 bars. This first refueling operation at the Hympulsion station in Chambéry at the end of January marks the beginning of a series of tests and observations for this laboratory boat. Since this first refueling in Chambéry, the boat has been navigating on Lake Bourget.
The territory of Grand Chambéry and Grand Lac, among other things, houses the Savoie Technolac business park, a hub for experimentation and innovation. The presence of a first hydrogen refueling station attests to the innovative character of this territory. The INOCEL project confirms the trend of developing environmentally friendly river propulsion solutions.
About HYmpulsion
A Public-Private Network, pioneer of renewable hydrogen mobility for connecting territories, Hympulsion is a private law company whose shareholders are the Auvergne Rhône Alpes Region, Engie, Michelin, the Banque des Territoires, and the Crédit Agricole. Hympulsion has already opened 4 refueling stations for hydrogen mobility in the region, and 9 others are currently under construction. These stations are equipped to serve both heavy and light mobility.
About INOCEL
INOCEL designs, produces, and markets high-power, modular fuel cells for the stationary, marine, and heavy terrestrial mobility sectors. Its expertise includes the development of fuel cell technologies as well as integration into a complete system. INOCEL also supports its clients with predictive maintenance services, monitoring, and advanced control command. INOCEL is a French company with two strategic sites in France: a R&D center in Grenoble, a hub of innovation and technology, and a gigafactory in Belfort, which will host a production line capable of producing tens of thousands of units per year, situated in a hydrogen hub and an industrial territory at the forefront of technology.
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