H2site lands $4.1M Enova grant to scale onboard ammonia-to-power for ships
What's the deal? Spanish deep-tech company H2site has secured €3.4 million (US$4.73M, roughly $4.1 million) in grant funding from Norway's EnovaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to build HydraNord Power, a commercial-scale onboard ammonia-to-power system for the maritime sector.
How it works: The system converts ammonia into high-purity hydrogen directly onboard vessels, producing up to one tonne of hydrogen per day. That feeds maritime fuel cells delivering 700kW of net electrical power.
What's the endgame? H2site's membrane reactor combines ammonia cracking and hydrogen separation in a single process, protecting fuel cells from contamination. The compact, modular design suits newbuild and retrofit projects, and multiple units can run in parallel for larger, multi-megawatt installations.
Why now? The project marks a step-change in scale, building on smaller H2site maritime deployments already in operation. "At 700kW net, we are addressing a real onboard power requirement with a standardised system that can be replicated across vessels," said chief executive officer Andrés Galnares.
Enova, which manages the Climate and Energy Fund on behalf of the Norwegian government, leads the funding. The project brings together partners including Equinor, Höegh AutolinersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Breeze Ship DesignDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, Sustainable Energy Catapult CentreDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, AlltecDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, and Maritime CleanTechDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, covering vessel needs, system design, fuel cells, and integration.
What's next? The full system will be installed and tested at Energy House in Stord, Norway. Development and integration run through 2027, with commissioning planned for early 2028. Initial targets are auxiliary and hybrid power for deep-sea shipping, offshore operations, and other energy-intensive maritime segments.
The signal: The grant ranks among the largest for deep-tech grant rounds in Spain, sitting in the 97th percentile of all-time comparable deals. It reflects growing bets on ammonia as a maritime fuel where direct electrification is not viable — a key gap in shipping's decarbonisation.
Read more: finanznachrichten.de
Image credit: Wolfgang.W.
