Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR., ADR: RYCEY) today announced that it has successfully tested a 12-cylinder gas variant of its mtu S4000 L64 engine running on 100% hydrogen fuel. The tests, carried out by Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems Division, have shown quite good efficiency, performance, emissions and combustion performance. These tests represent another important step toward commercializing hydrogen solutions to meet customer demand for more sustainable energy supplies.

Tobias Ostermaier, President, Fixed Power Solutions, Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said:

“This engine will meet the market demand for hydrogen solutions in the energy transition and provide a reliable and clean source of power for our customers’ generator sets and combined heat and power plants.”

As part of the climate-neutral energy supply for the new container terminal, the company plans to deploy mtu engines running on 100% hydrogen fuel for the first time at the enerPort II Lighthouse project in the inland German port of Duisburg.

Dr Jorg Stratmann, CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems, added:

“We see hydrogen as one of the core elements of the energy transition. It can be used both to store excess energy and as a fuel, not only for engines, but also for fuel cells and thermoelectric power plants to produce climate-neutral electricity and heat.”

For example, when demand for electricity is low and renewable energy from wind or solar is abundant, excess energy can be channelized into electrolytic hydrogen production facilities that convert water into hydrogen, which can then be used as fuel for a range of applications.

Rapid progress in efficiency, performance and clean combustion

The company has been bench testing mtu gas engines running on 100% hydrogen fuel for several months, continuously improving efficiency, performance, emissions and combustion performance. With green hydrogen as a fuel, these mtu engines will be able to operate CO2-neutral in the future. For gas engines already in service, Rolls-Royce Power Systems offers conversion kits as a solution.

Andrea Prospero, engineer in charge of hydrogen engine development at Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said:

“We are very pleased with these rapid developments. The engine has very low emissions, well below strict EU emission limits, and does not require an exhaust aftertreatment system.”

Some engine components, including fuel injection, turbocharging, piston design and controls, were changed to take into account the different ways hydrogen and natural gas are burned. However, by using proven technologies from Rolls-Royce’s powertrain portfolio, such as mtu turbochargers, fuel injection valves, engine electronics and control systems, hydrogen engine development can be advanced quickly and efficiently.

The engine will be deployed for the first time in the inland German port of Duisburg, providing a CO2-neutral energy supply

Duisburg, one of the world’s largest inland ports, is currently working with several partners to build a hydrogen-based energy supply network for its new terminal, which is expected to be operational in 2024. In the future, most of the electricity needed by the port itself will be produced directly from hydrogen on site in a CO2-neutral manner. This process is achieved through two combined thermoelectric power plants equipped with mtu 4000 series hydrogen fuel engines (with a total installed capacity of 2MW) and three mtu fuel cell systems (with a total installed capacity of 1.5MW).

As part of its sustainability plan, Rolls-Royce is realigning its product portfolio in the Powertrain segment towards more sustainable fuels and new technologies to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.