Implementing maritime battery-electric and hydrogen solutions: A technological innovation systems analysis

Hanna Bach,Anna Bergek,Øyvind Bjørgum,Teis Hansen,Assiya Kenzhegaliyeva,Markus Steen

doi:10.1016/j.trd.2020.102492

Abstract

Maritime transport faces increasing pressure to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to be in accordance with the Paris Agreement. For this to happen, low- and zero-carbon energy solutions need to be developed. In this paper we draw on sustainability transition literature and introduce the technological innovation system (TIS) framework to the field of maritime transportation research. The TIS approach analytically distinguishes between different innovation system functions that are important for new technologies to develop and diffuse beyond an early phase of experimentation. This provides a basis for technology-specific policy recommendations. We apply the TIS framework to the case of battery-electric and hydrogen energy solutions for coastal maritime transport in Norway. Whereas both battery-electric and hydrogen solutions have developed rapidly, the former is more mature and has a strong momentum. Public procurement and other policy instruments have been crucial for developments to date and will be important for these technologies to become viable options for shipping more generally.

Highlights

Having been subject to tightening regulations on emissions of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx) for several years, maritime transport faces increasing pressure to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) in accordance with the Paris agreement
Coastal shipping stands for 19% of the GHG emissions from domestic transport and 10% of Norway’s total GHG emissions, and for Norway to meet its obligations within the Paris Agreement there is an urgent need for emission reductions within the shipping sector
The maritime sector currently only contributes to 3% of global GHG emissions, there is an urgent need to decrease emissions to comply with the Paris agreement

Summary

Introduction

Having been subject to tightening regulations on emissions of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulphur oxides (SOx) for several years, maritime transport faces increasing pressure to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) in accordance with the Paris agreement. This became especially clear when the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in April 2018 adopted a strategy, focusing on energy efficiency measures, that aims to reduce GHG emissions from shipping as soon as possible, and to phase out emissions completely by the end of this century (IMO, 2018a). It is necessary to develop and implement new low- or zero-carbon (LoZeC) energy solutions, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG), biofuels, battery-

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