Cluster Catch-up: Unitrove
“Our commitment to sustainability is not just about doing the right thing. It also makes good business sense.”
In the last Cluster Catch-up, SINTEF Ocean told us about how their research on zero-emission solutions is a part of the realization of the hydrogen value chains. This time, Unitrove is the company we will get to know more about!
Unitrove’s mission is to create a virtuous world powered entirely by clean energy. Unitrove enables zero-emission shipping through the development of a global bunkering infrastructure network for fuelling ships with liquefied hydrogen (LH₂) and compressed gaseous hydrogen (CGH₂). Steven Lua, CEO of Unitrove, had a little chat with us.
What is Unitrove’s primary focus right now?
Steven Lua, CEO of Unitrove.
Unitrove provides zero-emission solutions for heavy transport and industry with a primary focus on maritime decarbonisation. There are three key priorities that are currently guiding our business.
Our first priority is to deliver on existing projects which will allow us to develop technologies that help to create a sustainable world for future generations. In February 2023, we were delighted to announce support from the UK government to deliver the world’s first liquid hydrogen autonomous vessel and infrastructure at the Port of Aberdeen as part of a £5.4m project called “Hydrogen Innovation – Future Infrastructure & Vessel Evaluation and Demonstration (HI-FIVED)”.
The HI-FIVED project will allow us to fully commercialise and demonstrate the world’s first liquid hydrogen bunkering facility in collaboration with seven key partners: ACUA Ocean, the Port of Aberdeen, the University of Southampton, Zero Emissions Maritime Technology, Composite Manufacturing and Design, Trident Marine Electrical, and NASH Maritime.
The UK government has also backed our project to explore development of the world’s first zero-emission multi-fuel station (ZEMFS) for powering hydrogen and electric ships. The ZEMFS project is already underway, and involves the following partners: ACUA Ocean, Zero Emissions Maritime Technology, the University of Strathclyde, MJR Power & Automation, Orkney College UHI, and the Port of Tyne.
Our second priority is to accelerate our growth and development through fundraising. To deliver on global net-zero ambitions, billions of capital investments into renewable energy infrastructure and future technologies will be required. Investment forms a key part of our long-term growth strategy, and we aim to close our first major round by October 2023.
Our third priority is to recruit top talent and industry partners to ensure that we can deliver on our mission and vision. Our future developments include fully-autonomous zero-emission fuelling stations that incorporate artificial intelligence, machine learning, and blockchain technologies.
What are the biggest challenges and opportunities for Unitrove in the future?
Unitrove faces great challenges and opportunities, both present and future. The first challenge is to identify the right clients that we can work with. They need to believe in our mission and vision, and they will require ambition, determination, and the right mindset in collaboratively taking positive and sustainable action.
The second challenge is to find and secure the right talent with a keen focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to help us achieve our goals. We see a fantastic opportunity to disrupt the maritime industry with an entirely fresh approach by attracting the very best minds with strong core values and beliefs aligned to Unitrove.
Our third challenge is to secure the right investors who can offer more than just financial support for our mission and vision. They must align with our core values and beliefs and proactively help us to deliver a sustainable world for future generations. We actively engage with the investment community by sharing our progress and plans.
We see great potential for green liquid hydrogen in heavy transport and industry yet face challenges in securing sufficient supply to meet the future demands of our clients. To overcome this challenge, we are actively exploring global opportunities to build new green hydrogen liquefaction plants in partnership with key cryogenic technology and industrial equipment vendors.
We help to shape new policies, standards, and regulations through our work with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO). We see this as an excellent opportunity to encourage further and faster adoption of green hydrogen.
Unitrove is actively working to overcome challenges and to seize those opportunities that lie ahead. We are confident that, with the right support, we can achieve our goals and create a positive impact on the environment and society.
Unitrove recently received support from the UK Government to deliver the worlds first liquid hydrogen autonomous vessel and infrastructure.
How can hydrogen be a part of the solution for the future?
Hydrogen has great potential to radically reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the race to net-zero. It can be produced using renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind to provide a useful source of heat and power, particularly in circumstances where electrification presents a real challenge.
Hydrogen could help to significantly decarbonise heavy transport such as shipping and aviation as well as heavy industries such as steel manufacturing and green ammonia production. It can also help reduce noise pollution and improve air quality, especially in urban areas where heavy transport is a significant source of pollution. It can make our cities cleaner and more habitable.
Hydrogen can be stored and transported in various forms, each with its pros and cons. It could be carried in the form of an electrofuel or synthetic fuel such as e-ammonia or e-methanol; it could be in the form of a liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC) such as dibenzyltoluene (DBT) or methylcyclohexane (MCH); or it could be in the form of a metal hydride such as sodium borohydride.
Hydrogen can also be delivered as a compressed gas or as a cryogenic liquid. Liquid hydrogen has a relatively decent volumetric energy density compared to other zero-carbon alternatives which makes it a strong candidate for applications that face weight or space limitations.
However, hydrogen needs to overcome various political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal challenges. While the technology to produce and store hydrogen is improving, it will take time and investment to develop the necessary infrastructure to make renewable hydrogen widely available.
At Unitrove, we provide zero-emission infrastructure ‘as a service’. Our main aim is to deploy fully-autonomous zero-emission multi-fuel stations all around the world. With our small, modular, hydrogen-based, multi-modal offerings, we seek to reliably make clean fuels affordable, accessible, and convenient to all.
What is your primary focus when it comes to sustainability?
At Unitrove, sustainability is a fundamental value that we take very seriously. Our primary focus is to contribute positively to society and the environment by aligning our business operations with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. We firmly believe that businesses have a responsibility to promote sustainable development, and by integrating the SDGs into our core values, we prioritise environmental, social, and economic sustainability in all aspects of our operations.
Our commitment to sustainability is not just about doing the right thing. It also makes good business sense. By prioritising sustainability in our operations, we create long-term value for our stakeholders, while contributing to a more sustainable future for everyone. This means that we constantly seek ways to minimise our environmental impact, promote social equity, and ensure economic sustainability in all our activities.
It is not merely enough to consider the SDGs in isolation. They must be considered holistically and without contradiction. For instance, we cannot permit large scale green hydrogen production to create severe scarcity in global drinking water supplies. Nor can we allow clean energy and carbon taxes to become weaponised by wealthy nations, leading to a world of injustice and increasing inequality.
We must help to provide a strong framework for quality education and gender equality in our workplace. We need to respect life on land and below water. Green ammonia can be used to deliver clean fertilisers for enhancing food production for eradicating hunger.
Our goal is to create a cleaner, greener, and more equitable future for all. By leveraging the potential of hydrogen, we aim to contribute to the fight against climate change. We are proud to be part of this important movement, and we believe that our work will help create a more sustainable world for future generations to come.
In 2021 Unitrove unveiled their liquid hydrogen bunkering facility for fueling zero-emission ships at the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow.. Photo Unitrove.
Why did you decide on becoming a member of Ocean Hyway Cluster?
Unitrove became a member of Ocean Hyway Cluster because we saw an opportunity to collaborate with a network that shares our values and goals. As a company committed to advancing green hydrogen, joining a network that is leading the way in hydrogen-based solutions for the maritime sector was a logical step for us.
The Ocean Hyway Cluster plays a pivotal role in facilitating a strong hydrogen ecosystem in Norway, which delivered the world’s first liquid hydrogen ferry. We very much support such ambitions and wish to play a supporting role in the community.
As a member of the Ocean Hyway Cluster, we have access to a pool of industry experts and other like-minded companies, which allows us to exchange knowledge about markets and technologies. This collaboration enables us to stay up to date on the latest developments and drivers in the market, and to remain competitive.
Joining the Ocean Hyway Cluster also positions us as part of a centre of competence for the hydrogen value chain. This is particularly important in a sector as rapidly evolving as the hydrogen fuel industry, as it provides us with a platform to share our knowledge and expertise with other players in the industry, while also learning from them.
Moreover, we can help influence policy and regulations related to hydrogen, which is critical for the industry’s growth and development. Finally, the Ocean Hyway Cluster provides funding schemes that could be beneficial to Unitrove as we continue to pursue our goals.
Overall, our Ocean Hyway Cluster membership is an important part of our strategy to develop innovative hydrogen fuel solutions for the maritime industry. As a member of this network, we are well positioned to drive innovation in the hydrogen fuel industry, make valuable connections, and help shape the industry’s future.
Which cluster member should we interview next?
We would like to know more about Amogy Norway’s daily life.
Curious about a membership in Ocean Hyway Cluster? Have a look here.
More Cluster Catch-Up
Maria Benæs Hunvik
Communications Advisor
+47 954 57 606
maria.hunvik(a)oceanhywaycluster.no