On the occasion of the Élite Days 2024, the 50Steel number 1 took to the water. World premiere for the Reformer Fuel Cell system capable of powering the onboard zero-emission hôtellerie apparatus
Over seven hundred guests attended the launch of the Superyacht introducing the Green Methanol Fuel Cell system for zero impact energy production. Not only innovation and sustainability: 50Steel introduces the HER system, Hidden Engine Room, which makes it possible to recover space to make room for an additional precious living area, modifying the boat’s traditional layout.
‘With the launch of the 50Steel, Sanlorenzo celebrates a milestone in its history, in the sign of innovation and sustainability. The new line of superyachts embodies the pioneering spirit and passion for challenges that have always guided us in the design and construction of our fleet,’ says Massimo Perotti, Chairman and CEO of the Sanlorenzo Group. ‘I believe what sets us apart is our ability to drive innovation in the industry, embracing cutting-edge solutions not only in design, which is always elegant and comfortable, but also in the field of technology and sustainability, to achieve the ambitious environmental footprint reduction targets we have set ourselves.’
The Green Methanol Fuel Cell System, the approach to sustainability
Sanlorenzo has identified sustainability and technological innovation as growth drivers for the decade to 2030. In fact, the company has launched the ‘Road to 2030’, a plan for the progressive reduction of environmental impact through strategic agreements with the world’s leading players in the production of energy and propulsion. The ambitious goal that the Italian luxury yachting company has set itself is to deliver the first ship with totally carbon neutral propulsion by 2030.
Thanks to the exclusive agreement signed in 2021 with Siemens Energy, Sanlorenzo will be the first shipyard in the world to deliver a superyacht equipped with a Reformer Fuel Cell system powered by hydrogen obtained from green methanol to generate electricity. This revolutionary solution allows 50Steel to generate up to 100 kW, with propulsion engines and diesel generators switched off. The system, totally carbon neutral, significantly increases the time spent in roadstead without consuming diesel fuel, covering in zero emissions about 90% of the typical use time of a superyacht Sanlorenzo introduces to the market a unique product, a jewel of innovation that marks a milestone in the technological progress of the nautical industry.
In this first phase, Sanlorenzo has therefore focused not so much on navigation as on reducing emissions at anchor: thanks to careful monitoring of data relating to actual use, it has been possible to understand that for 90% of the time spent on board the boat is generally stationary, while only the remaining 10% is dedicated to navigation. The introduction of this revolutionary system thus makes it possible to reduce emissions by 20/30% annually. This innovation makes Sanlorenzo a forerunner of the future of the nautical industry, for which the most recent IMO strategies indicate a 20% emissions reduction obligation from 2030. With the 50Steel, launched on 18May 2024, Sanlorenzo thus positions itself 6 years ahead of the entire maritime world.
How it works
Produced by Advent Technologies, Siemens Energy’s partner in the construction of the system developed with Sanlorenzo, the modular Fuel Cell system consists of a Reformer capable of transforming green methanol into hydrogen and at the same time, through the Fuel Cells, supplying all the hôtellerie equipment without the hydrogen being stored on board. The reforming action takes place under normal pressure conditions and at a slightly higher temperature than in a traditional fuel cell, so there are no particular safety issues. The fuel cell produces water vapour as its only residue, which is not released into the environment but rather, through a condenser, reconverted into water, which is then reused to produce the fuel cell mixture, 60% of which is methanol and 40% water.
The energy produced by the Fuel Cells is not stored, but used immediately. The system consists of 20 modules, each generating 5 kW, for a total of 100 kW. Therefore, the system does not involve the combined use of diesel generators, and only in the event of peak energy demand will lithium batteries be used, which have a calculated capacity of around 600 kW/h.
Overall, two processes are completed in the Fuel Cell system:
– Conversion of distilled water and methanol into hydrogen;
– Conversion of hydrogen into electricity.
50 Steel enters the market as a concrete example of progress and innovation: the Fuel Cell reformer system will allow not hydrogen but methanol (stored in a 5000-litre tank) to be stored directly on board: in this way, the same amount of energy is stored on board in a much smaller space, breaking down the limits imposed by the risks of storing and finding pure hydrogen.
Lloyd’s Register certification
During the Monaco Yacht Show 2023, the Lloyd’s Register (LR) awarded Sanlorenzo the type approval certificate for the Fuel Cell system and Type C containment tank. Lloyd’s Register supported Sanlorenzo in the validation of the project: the prestigious certification awarded validates the conformity of the Fuel Cell methanol system to internationally recognised environmental standards, consolidating its credibility on the market.
Green methanol
Currently, methanol is among the most effective fuels for replacing diesel fuel, as it is already available in more than 100 ports worldwide. Sanlorenzo’s winning choice is the use of green methanol, produced using only renewable energy sources and carbon dioxide captured from the atmosphere through so-called carbon capture systems: the amount of CO2 released into the air in the combustion process is therefore equivalent to the amount removed from the environment for the production of green methanol, allowing for a circular and completely carbon neutral system. Green methanol is therefore a good candidate for replacing more polluting substances such as ammonia, diesel or liquefied natural gas.
The Marine Fuel Cell System (MFCS)
The fuel cell-based power generation system that is the subject of this project is called the Marine Fuel Cell System (MFCS). The MFCS consists of 4 cabinets and a ventilation system including a water condenser:
– 2 fuel cell cabinets each containing 10 Advent SereneU 5 kW Fuel Cell modules.
– 1 mixing cabinet dedicated to the proper mixing of methanol and water from the condenser and its distribution to the fuel cells
– 1 control cabinet containing all the automation and safety systems, and the converter to bring electricity to the ship’s DC-bus.
– 1 advanced ventilation system including the condenser for process water regeneration.
The main function of the MFCS is to produce carbon-neutral energy using fuel cells fuelled by green methanol. The Fuel Cell module uses high-temperature proton exchange membrane technology (HTPEM) and a methanol reformer and is designed to be fuelled by a methanol-water mixture (60:40) and ambient air as an oxygen source. In the reformer, the methanol mixture is converted to hydrogen, which then flows into the fuel cell, where the electrochemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen creates an electrical potential between the two poles, from which the current is drawn. The by-product is air depleted in oxygen (in the order of 10%) and enriched in CO2 (~20%). The main purpose of the filtration plant is to purify the water condensed in the condenser of the ventilation systems so that it reaches a quality suitable for mixing with methanol. Air is sucked into the entire system by three fans. Passing through filters to remove salt, water and particles, it then enters all the cabinets and performs an essential function for both the operation of the Fuel Cells and the safety of the apparatus, diluting any methanol vapours.
The HER (Hidden Engine Room) system
The HER system, patented by Sanlorenzo, makes it possible to introduce new ways of interpreting space, while keeping the product under 500 tonnes. This innovation makes it possible to find a new arrangement for the engine room. From the two levels usually occupied, there is now a horizontal development of the propulsion equipment and a new distribution of the technical area in the under lower deck. This makes it possible to exploit new spaces in the lower deck area, where an additional lounge, the Ocean Lounge, comes to life, in direct connection on one side with the large aft Beach Club with swimming pool, and on the other with the guest area, where the cabins are joined by a GYM area and a SPA area.
Piero Lissoni with Martina and Bernardo Zuccon
Piero Lissoni and Zuccon International Project,
the protagonists of design
50Steel is developed on five staggered decks, generating rooms with important volumes and reducing partitions and barriers. This new and disruptive interior architecture is imperceptible from the external profile, which maintains a clean and essential line, in perfect Sanlorenzo style, thanks to the innovative design by the Zuccon International Project studio.
Going up five steps from the Ocean Lounge, you enter the main deck and the heart of 50Steel, consisting of a large, sophisticated salon, guardian of life on board. The stairs, designed to let the light shine through, run through the interior of the yacht, connecting the different areas, from the gym and spa area on the lower deck to the second salon on the upper deck. In the middle is the dining room which, thanks to the layout opportunities, takes on an unprecedented dimension on the 50Steel: the net heights vary from 2.1 metres to 3.35 metres.
The alteration of the traditional layout of spaces has made it possible to optimise every corner of the yacht: 50Steel accommodates four guest cabins and one for the owner, as well as two swimming pools on the Beach Club aft and on the sun deck respectively.
The connection between the spaces is also exalted on the outside: the three upper levels communicate by means of a system of stairs, with differences in height of no more than one and a half metres, which do not affect the profile of the yacht. Remaining consistent with the principle of maximum liveability of the spaces that characterises Sanlorenzo yachts, the Beach Club at the stern, with its three open terraces, becomes a 150 m² beach on the sea at anchor. The dialogue between the spaces is also realised thanks to the design by Piero Lissoni, who signed the interior design of this first unit. Reinventing classic styles of the past in a contemporary key, the Sanlorenzo art director has created spaces permeated by a sophisticated air conferred by elements such as coffered ceilings and dark wood walls. For this project, Piero Lissoni used 3D technology for the first time, which allowed the technical model developed by Sanlorenzo to be superimposed on the architectural model, ensuring a high degree of control over every detail.
Sanlorenzo 50Steel – The main technical data
Length overall: 49.99m
Max beam: 9.40m
Design draft: 2.96m
Gross Tonnage: 499 GT approx
Hull: Steel
Superstructure: Aluminium
Guest accommodations: 10 people
Crew accommodations: 9 persons
Engines: MAN D2862-LE489 1,066 kW (1450 PS) @ 2100 RPM
Generators: 1 x 118 kW
Maximum speed (approx) (*): 16 knots
Cruising speed (approx) (*): 12.5 knots
Economical speed (approx) (*): 11 knots
Range at economic speed (approx): 4,000 nm
Fuel tank capacity: 55,000 l
(Sanlorenzo launches 50Steel: green methanol fuel cell energy on board – Barchemagazine.com – May 2024)
