Towards true zero-emission vehicles in a single step: air pollution and greenhouse gas reductions through hydrogen fueled ships with carbon management

The authors show that one of the easiest routes to true zero emission transport may be in the marine transportation system (MTS), demonstrated by comparing the opportunities and barriers to entry for H₂/CM systems across all modes. Relying on contemporary theories of technological innovation and diffusion, they identify initial niche markets for H₂/CM fuel systems and hydrogen-fueled vehicles. They identify marine shipping as an important sector for several reasons. First, recent revelations of the important environmental impact of ship emissions have created significant impetus for the first large-scale pollution reductions in the sector. Second, the design and performance tradeoffs of hydrogen storage and propulsion are less challenging for ships than for on-road vehicles. Third, centralized fuel production and distribution is already standard for ships, minimizing the costs of both H₂ infrastructure and CM. Marine propulsion innovation in the shipping industry offers significant potential to achieve both air-quality improvements and greenhouse-gas reductions through a single technology step.