Sandia National Laboratories News

San Francisco-based hydrogen technology company Zero Emission Industries (ZEI) announced it has raised $8.75 million through the completion of a Series A financing round led by Chevron New Energies, with participation from commodity trading company Trafigura and shipping and logistics company Crowley.ZEI, formerly known as Golden Gate Zero Emission, is best known as the technology team behind the Sea Change ferry, the world’s first commercial hydrogen fuel cell vessel launched…

Naval architecture and marine engineering firm Glosten and Siemens Energy have selected Ballard Power Systems and Chart Industries as primary equipment vendors for their design of what will be the first hydrogen-hybrid research vessel in the world. The vessel, nominally known as the CCRV, is currently in the design phase and will be owned and operated by UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography (Scripps). Ballard Power Systems will provide the fuel cells which will help power the vessel…

Hydrogen is everywhere. You know that from high school chemistry. And you also know it from Marine News’ almost daily updates about H powered vessel projects around the world.As a fuel that could potentially replace fossil fuels, H is in the spotlight. Perhaps the brightest spotlight, at least in the U.S., is within the Department of Energy’s “Energy Earthshots” initiative.R&D on H was the first such Earthshot announced last year. DOE wants the “Hydrogen Shot” program to “accelerate…

Hornblower Group on Thursday announced its subsidiary Hornblower Energy has received an $8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to design, construct and operate the first asset of its kind to produce green hydrogen through the use of hydroelectric power and dispense to ferry and maritime vessels in the United States. The first in the world of its kind, the three-year project officially began in 2021 in San Francisco with a projected completion date of 2025. Fueling…

Don’t let the titanium metal walls or the sapphire windows fool you. It’s what’s on the inside of this small, curious device that could someday kick off a new era of navigation.For more than a year, the avocado-sized vacuum chamber has contained a cloud of atoms at the right conditions for precise navigational measurements. It is the first device that is small, energy-efficient and reliable enough to potentially move quantum sensors — sensors that use quantum mechanics to outperform conventional technologies — from the lab into commercial use…

Social media, cameras, sensors and more generate huge amounts of data that can overwhelm analysts sifting through it all for meaningful, actionable information to provide decision-makers such as political leaders and field commanders responding to security threats.Sandia National Laboratories researchers are working to lessen that burden by developing the science to gather insights from data in nearly real time.“The amount of data produced by sensors and social media is booming — every day there’s about 2.5 quintillion (or 2.5 billion billion) bytes of data generated…

Hydrogen fuel cell technology to Satisfy Future IMO RequirementsWith an ongoing push by the maritime community to reduce ship emissions to satisfy IMO MARPOL Annex VI regulations and limit the sulfur content of ships from 01 January 2020 to 0.5 percent world-wide, many ship owners are starting to consider hydrogen fuel cell technology to satisfy evolving emissions regulations. To date, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent on research programs to utilize hydrogen fuel cells for transportation. Several maritime powers including the European Union, the United States and Japan have initiated pilot programs to assess the feasibility of maritime hydrogen to reduce emissions while maintaining cost parity with traditional propulsion technology.

Sandia National Laboratories reportedly has new insights about how to understand and ultimately control the chemistry of ignition behavior and pollutant formations. “Our findings will allow the design of new fuels and improved combustion strategies,” said Nils Hansen, Sandia researcher and lead author of the research. “Making combustion cleaner and more efficient will have a huge impact, reducing energy use around the globe.”The work, which focuses on the chemical science of low-pressure flame measurements…

A maritime consortium, including ABS and Sandia National Laboratories, recently proved the viability of a hydrogen fuel cell ferry designed for operations in the environmentally sensitive San Francisco Bay area. The IMO’s mandate to cap the sulfur content in marine fuel at the start of next year may be the biggest regulatory change in shipping since the requirement for double hulls, but the challenge will fade in comparison to its future goals to reduce green-house gases (GHG).A year ago (April 2018)…

Classification society DNV GL has presented Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia), with an approval in principle from DNV GL for the design of the new “Zero V” research vessel, developed in collaboration with Glosten and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The design emerged from a feasibility study funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration that set out to evaluate the technical, regulatory, and economic aspects of designing, building and operating a hydrogen fuel cell powered zero-emission coastal research vessel.

A primer on the way forward for alternative fuels for marine propulsion. By now, many of us have been passed by a garbage truck, taken a ride on an airport bus or hailed a taxi cab that is clearly labeled by their respective marketing departments that these vehicles are powered by clean burning natural gas. Even now in our own maritime industry, some trendy operators are looking to make the case for liquefied natural gas (LNG) propulsion systems, others are opting for hybrid-electric solutions, and some are even aiming for full electric configurations.

Is it Right for Your Operation? That Depends, says EBDG’s John Waterhouse. Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG) serves many ferry customers in North America. These clients read the trade publications and see various articles on new technologies such as hybrid propulsion, battery powered vessels or zero emission vessels. After finishing such an article they ask themselves: “What advantages would that technology bring to my operation and what will it cost?” To that end, EBDG developed some tools to help answer those questions.

ABS has published the ABS Advisory on Hybrid Electric Power Systems to help marine and offshore owners and operators make decisions about energy generation and storage. “ABS continues to lead industry safety with the first comprehensive Advisory to address the latest hybrid electric power technologies,” said ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. With the increased industry focus on environmental compliance and operational performance, many owners and operators…

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) today celebrated the launch of field trials for the first prototype hydrogen fuel cell unit to power onboard refrigerated containers. MARAD, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy, provided $815,000 to fund the clean energy powered container unit that could pave the way to dramatically reduced harmful emissions at the Port of Honolulu. "President Obama has consistently challenged us to find new ways to protect our environment while supporting our economy,” said Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx. Built into a standard 20 ft. shipping container…

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) today announced that it is providing $500,000 to support a feasibility study for the design, construction, and operation of a high-speed passenger ferry powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology and a hydrogen refueling station. The fuel cell would provide power for the ferry’s propulsion and auxiliary electrical systems, while the hydrogen refueling station -which would be the largest in the world - would service the ferry, electric cars, buses and fleet vehicles, and other maritime vessels powered by fuel cells. “This study is just one more way in which MARAD is working to find new and efficient technologies for use in the maritime industry that offer clean-fuel options to cut emissions…

From Fast Lane, official blog of the U.S. The U.S. maritime industry continues to become greener each day as federal agencies, research centers, and ports work to reduce the industry's impact on our environment. Industry stakeholders understand how green business practices can significantly improve their bottom line while also helping ensure healthier waterways and port communities as well as a healthier workplace for maritime workers. That’s why the Maritime Administration is…

Providing auxiliary hydrogen power to docked or anchored ships may soon be added to the list of ways in which hydrogen fuel cells can provide efficient, emissions-free energy. Hydrogen fuel cells are already powering mobile lighting systems, forklifts, emergency backup systems and light-duty trucks, among other applications. Now, researchers at Sandia National Laboratories have found that hydrogen fuel cells may be both technically feasible and commercially attractive as a clean, quiet and efficient power source for ships at berth, replacing on-board diesel generators.

Collier Research Corporation released its HyperSizer v6 structural sizing and analysis software for reducing weight, maintaining strength and improving the manufacturability of complex composite and metallic designs. Developed and proven at NASA, the software — the first ever commercialized by the agency — has a track record of 20 percent weight reduction in high-profile government and commercial aerospace projects. In addition, HyperSizer’s design and manufacturing capabilities…

In response to the release of the Sandia National Laboratories and Department of Energy report on liquefied natural gas (LNG), Rear Adm. Thomas H. Gilmour, Coast Guard assistant commandant for marine safety, security and environmental protection, said, "The Coast Guard appreciates the work of Sandia Labs to provide us additional information on the potential threats to LNG tankers and consequences of a large LNG release. "The Sandia study confirms that LNG tankers are very strong ships and that the site specific risk management activities that the Coast Guard already has in place can significantly reduce the possibility of a major loss of cargo from an accident or attack.

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Wednesday April 27,  Industry Development Day there will be reports and discussion about current research on MHK advancement from Sandia National Laboratories,  National Renewable Energy Laboratory; and the Department of Energy. There will also be a workshop on Government Advocacy. Thursday April 28 features industry updates from CEOs and keynotes from Paul O'Brien of Scottish Development International; Michael Bromwich, Director, BOEMRE; John Wellinghof, Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; and William Tayler, Director Shore Energy, Office of the Deputy Asst. Secretary of Navy (Energy). The day concludes  with status reports  from the International Energy Agency Ocean Energy Systems Implementing Agreement updates from participating countries.

The Homeland Security Leadership Alliance announced the appointment of Gene Kakalec of Northrop Grumman. Kakalec, Vice President, Business Development and Marketing at Northrop Grumman, Information Technology Sector, will become HSLA's twelfth board member. Others include: Tim Daniel, Director of Homeland Security for the state of Missouri; Ellis Stanley, Emergency Services Manager for the city of Los Angeles; Michael Steed, Managing Director of Paladin Capital Group (the largest homeland security venture capital fund in the world); and Brigadier General Annette Sobel, of SANDIA National Laboratories. Source: HSLA

Alion Science and Technology hired Dr. Charles Massey as the director of port and maritime security to lead the creation of a port security solution for domestic and international ports. The Alion solution will focus on ports that do not currently have the support, staff and budget to screen cargo at the levels required to maintain port security and to trade internationally. As an internationally recognized expert in maritime and nonproliferation security, Dr. Massey performed work for U.S. and foreign governments in nuclear facilities, seaports, airports and border crossings in over 40 countries. His previous experience includes serving as the International Borders and Maritime Security Program Manager at Sandia National Laboratories.