2024 March/April Marina World

FUEL TECHNOLOGY
NatPower H’s dramatic refuelling station.
CGI: Tecma Solutions
Going green
with hydrogen
Italian entity NatPower H and British company Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
have announced the world’s first network for green hydrogen refuelling of
recreational boats. The first 25 installations will be made in Italian marinas and
ports as part of a goal to reach 100 in the Mediterranean before expanding
globally. Donatella Zucca reports
NatPower H, part of the NatPower
Group, is investing €100 million in
the project, which should see the first
installations this summer and has a
target to reach the 100 figure over the
next six years.
Founded in 2019 by current CEO
Fabrizio Zago, NatPower boasts a
wealth of renewable projects, all of
which have helped in the establishment
of NatPower H as the first global
player for production, storage and
distribution of green hydrogen. The
company believes that the use of
hydrogen to carry energy through fuel
cells and electric motors promises
an excellent combination of winning
vessel performance and respect for the
environment.
When established, the 100 stations
will supply up to 3,650 tonnes of green
hydrogen every year thus eliminating
around 45,000 tonnes of greenhouse
gas emissions from vessels. The
hydrogen is obtained using RINA
Pressure Equipment Directive (PED)
certified low pressure metal hydride
technologies. RINA, formerly the Italian
Naval Register, is today a businessto-society
company supporting
sustainable growth.
The RINA connection adds to the
Italian involvement with the project,
as does the strategic positioning
of NatPower H with the Baglietto
shipyards in La Spezia, which – via
the Bzero project – are debating the
production of storable hydrogen in
solid form. No less important is the
partnership with the America’s Cup
through Bluegame, a Sanlorenzo Group
shipyard of which NatPower H is the
official technical sponsor.
The protocol for the 37 th America’s
Cup, to be held later this year in
Barcelona, requires each team
of challengers to build and use a
hydrogen-powered foil chase boat.
As its part of the project, NatPower H
aims to do two things: create a network
of sustainable energy hubs in major
marinas, and establish ideal conditions
to facilitate the development and use of
hydrogen-powered boats.
NatPower H’s decision to collaborate
with ZHA for the refuelling station
architecture is based on the latter’s
research into modular systems offering
adaptable and customisable designs
according to location. Infrastructure
is designed to respond to specific
requirements in terms of size, climatic
characteristics, exposure, reception,
bicycle charging, pedestrian circulation
etc.
The components of each structure
are created using robotic 3D material
positioning, and are built using lowcarbon
concrete. The masonry is
dry-assembled and is completely
recyclable. In appearance, the
composition is layered to echo nature,
with striated shapes similar to natural
Mediterranean formations and marine
ecosystems.
The design was developed by ZHA’s
Computation and Design Research
Group, together with the Block
Research Group and Incremental
3D, and is based on studies of
unreinforced masonry structures, 3D
printed concrete and sustainable digital
concrete constructions. Examples can
be seen in the 3D printed concrete
pedestrian Striatus Bridge presented at
www.marinaworld.com – March/April 2024
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