Fountaine Pajot, the La Rochelle, France-based builder of sailing and power catamarans, announced its first foray into alternative energy with the integration of a hydrogen power generator aboard its Samana 59 sailboat.
The builder’s “Odyssea 2024” development plan matches the Samana 59 with a fuel cell system from EODev, which utilizes the same Toyota-based modules that power ongoing projects from Yanmar.
EODev said its REXH2 system provides 70kW of power, matched to a 44-kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery. The on-board hydrogen tank has a capacity of 7.5 kg. Additional tanks can be added to increase range.
“Trusting our solutions is one thing; convincing that they are accessible and relevant for the yachting market is another,” EODev CEO Jérémie Lagarrigue said in a statement. “It is thanks to collaborations such as the one with Fountaine Pajot that the acceleration of the energy transition in the maritime sector will be achieved more quickly.”
Fountaine Pajot CEO Romain Motteau said moving toward fossil-free boating is part of the company’s plan to achieve zero carbon emissions in production and boat usage by 2050.
“The choice of EODev’s technology is the illustration of our desire to bring together experts in solutions that benefit everyone. … We are proud and happy to be among the pioneers and are eager to take further steps in the deployment of clean solutions,” Motteau said in a separate statement.
Other builders also are working on fossil-free options. Superyacht builder Lürssen said its first hydrogen-powered superyacht is scheduled for delivery in 2025.
