World’s Largest Diesel Reformer Fuel Cell System Generates 25 Kilowatts Of Power For Ships

German researchers have developed a system that converts diesel into hydrogen-rich gas to produce electricity using fuel cells. The 25-kilowatt system could help ships generate electricity without the need for separate hydrogen storage tanks. It could also be used to supply power to military vehicles and field camps, where lower noise and heat emissions are important.

The technology was developed by the Fraunhofer Institute for Microengineering and Microsystems (IMM) in Mainz, Germany. It is part of the DIMARIT research project, which focuses on using fuel cells to generate electricity for maritime applications.

The project is funded by Germany’s Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM).

Fraunhofer IMM plans to display the system at the Hydrogen Technology World Expo in Hamburg from October 20 to 22, 2026.

Hydrogen fuel cells produce electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen without burning fuel. However, storing hydrogen on ships requires separate tanks, which take up space and make onboard power systems more complex.

The new system uses diesel already carried on a ship to produce hydrogen-rich gas. The gas is processed further before being fed into a fuel cell to generate electricity. This means ships could use fuel cells without having to store hydrogen separately.

During the DIMARIT project, researchers studied how the different stages of the process work together. They also looked at how to manage heat and keep the system’s components working reliably under changing conditions.

The team is also testing whether the reformer can use suitable synthetic diesel fuels as well as conventional diesel.

The researchers also see potential for the technology in military operations, particularly in places where access to conventional electricity supplies is limited.

Diesel generators can produce significant noise and heat, which may make military positions easier to detect. The new system could reduce both because it has fewer large moving parts than a conventional engine-driven diesel generator.

Possible uses include supplying electricity to command and surveillance vehicles and field camps.

The researchers said fuel availability, low noise, low heat output and low weight are important for military applications. Diesel is already widely used by military forces, so converting it into hydrogen-rich gas could offer another way to generate electricity using an existing fuel supply.

However, the technology’s use in military operations and aboard ships has not been established in the information provided.

At the Hydrogen Technology World Expo in Hamburg, Fraunhofer IMM will also present its methanol reformer, technologies for producing hydrogen using ammonia, and carbon dioxide methanation technology.