America’s Cup News: AC defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, drives initiative in marine industry with Hydrogen chase boats

June 24, 2021

This month, Emirates Team New Zealand have committed to drive Hydrogen innovation in the marine industry by developing Hydrogen powered chase boats for the 37th America’s Cup.
They have been working with AFCryo, a Christchurch based innovative company in design, development and manufacture of composite cryostats for the cryogenic and superconducting industries.

Currently the Emirates Team New Zealand designers are working on a prototype hydrogen powered foiling chase boat, to be built at the team’s North Shore build facility, capable of standing up to the demands of supporting an AC75 throughout all aspects of an America’s Cup campaign.

DiagramOnce launched and verified, and with the support of the Challenger of Record Ineos Team UK, it is possible that the Protocol for the 37th America’s Cup will contain a provision that all teams must use hydrogen powered support boats. This would also apply to the 20+ event and race support boats, which will have a considerable impact on the reduction of consumption of fossil fuels across the event.

Technical Director Hugh Reynolds is leading the project for AFCryo, “As an organisation we have been working in cryogenics, and clean-tech solutions, for 17 years. We are a strong proponent of green hydrogen and are manufacturing hydrogen production systems in New Zealand.

ChaseViewNEOS TEAM UK and Challenger of Record Team Principal Skipper Sir Ben Ainslie is behind the push into Hydrogen power on the water, “For nearly two centuries the America’s Cup has pushed the boundaries in design and engineering, whilst ensuring innovation benefits the wider marine industry. With so much investment in hydrogen across the world, shifting to foiling chase boats, powered by hydrogen could well prove to be a sustainable and practical solution for the future of the marine industry, while supporting the AC75’s which are reaching speeds in excess of 50 knots.”

Elements of the hydrogen innovation will also be assessed and developed into how they can potentially be utilised in the functions of the next generation of AC75’s also.

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