Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, Minister Delegate for Transport, has named NepTech and EODev winners of the “Mobilities Olympic and Paralympic Paris 2024” innovation call in the New Mobility and Active Mobility category, “Fluvial” section, thanks to their project to design and operate passenger shuttles equipped with a hydrogen propulsion system on the Seine and in Marseille during the JOP 2024.
The innovative vessels designed by NepTech for passenger transport on the Seine and in Marseille will be equipped with EODev’s hydrogen solutions, developed in collaboration with Toyota.
EODev’s stSH2 river and marine hydrogen distribution station, one of the assets of which are to be self-propelled, will be anchored as close as possible to the Olympic venues. NepTech is responsible for the naval design of the charging station.
More than just a project, two solutions that combine the best expertise
The project, selected from 120 files, aims to design and operate passenger shuttles equipped with a hydrogen propulsion system on the Seine and in Marseille during the 2024 JOP. The project plans to combine efficient, intelligent, zero-emission NepTech vessels with the hydrogen charging stations developed by EODev.
The project brings together three hydrogen mobility players who combine their respective know-how: NepTech for the design of innovative hydrogen-powered passenger ships; EODev for the development of onshore-maritime hydrogen solutions; and Toyota, a technology leader in environmentally friendly solutions and a pioneer in hydrogen mobility.
The onboard NepTech ship technology is based on the hydrogen fuel cell developed by Toyota and will be adapted for the marine and river sector by EODev teams.
NepShuttle, for environmentally friendly transport
NepRiver’s river-based and NepShuttle vessels, designed by NepTech, will have a long-range and can carry up to 150 passengers. They are built around a platform with common structural and hydrodynamic characteristics.
The NepRiver (21m long, cruise speed of 12km/h and a maximum speed of 20km/h) and the NepShuttle (24m long, cruising speed of 35km/h, and a maximum speed of 40km/h) will be equipped with RexH2® EODev and stabilizer appendages to ensure high-speed navigation in the marine environment. A unique and tailor-made maritime and river solution, EODev’s RexH2® (Range Extender Hydrogen), is a modular electro-hydrogen group developed around Toyota’s fuel cell technology.
The innovations developed by NepTech reduce the ship’s energy consumption by 30-40% compared to a similar vessel. The integration of hydrogen propulsion provided by EODev avoids the emission of CO2 and fine particles. The reduction in CO2 emissions is thus estimated at 1100 tonnes per year per ship on average.
In addition, NepTech hydrogen-powered vessels do not produce noise pollution, which is known to be particularly damaging to marine species and their communication. Finally, the implementation of recyclable and bio-sourced materials in the manufacturing process of ships will significantly reduce the carbon footprint, not only during their use but also in their construction. This equipment will be produced and assembled in France.
STSH2 (Station Ship Hydrogen), the smart solution for refueling with hydrogen
Hydrogen-powered ships cannot be refueled by the ground hydrogen stations used to date, so EODev has therefore designed and developed a multimodal solution (STSH2) that will allow the refueling of ships but also other vehicles as part of the development of the French hydrogen sector.
Drawing on the combination and optimization of the energy mix technologies using the use of renewable energy experimented on board the Energy Observer laboratory ship, EODev is developing a mobile hydrogen supply station that has the capacity to distribute and/or produce hydrogen onboard using seawater desalination and electrolysis system. NepTech is in charge of the station’s architecture and naval engineering, while EODev is in charge of the project and the integration of the hydrogen storage and distribution system.
As part of the winning project, the station will be able to ship up to 480 kg of hydrogen in standardized hydrogen tank racks so that the NepRiver and NepShuttle ships can be quickly resupplied. With two 80kW electric motors and 88kWh batteries, it will have up to 210 nautical miles of range. The use of the station will also be shared for other mobility uses. The first unit is scheduled for commissioning in the summer of 2023.
“The NepTech team is delighted to be contributing with EODev to the emergence of a responsible and innovative transportation solution. Winning this call for innovation in mobility will undoubtedly facilitate the long-term deployment of our solutions in the territories of the 2024 JOP.” Tanguy Goetz, CEO, NepTech
“Technically our industrial solutions are already operational, whether on Energy Observer or other maritime and river projects. We are delighted with the collaboration with NepTech and also hope that this call for mobility innovation in the context of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will accelerate the regulatory adaptation necessary for the large-scale deployment, especially river and sea, of infrastructure not only of production but also of green hydrogen refueling.” Anthony Vernizeau, Head of Large Accounts and Calls to Projects EODev
Source: NepTech
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