Hydrogen Production from Wave Power Farms to Refuel Hydrogen-Powered Ships in the Mediterranean Sea

The maritime industry is a major source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, largely due to ships running on fossil fuels. Transitioning to hydrogen-powered marine transportation in the Mediterranean Sea requires the development of a network of hydrogen refueling stations across the region to ensure a steady supply of green hydrogen. This paper explores the technoeconomic viability of harnessing wave energy from the Mediterranean Sea to produce green hydrogen for hydrogenpowered ships. Four promising island locations—near Sardegna, Galite, Western Crete, and Eastern Crete—were selected based on their favorable wave potential for green hydrogen production. A thorough analysis of the costs associated with wave power facilities and hydrogen production was conducted to accurately model economic viability. The techno-economic results suggest that, with anticipated cost reductions in wave energy converters, the levelized cost of hydrogen could decrease to as low as 3.6 €/kg, 4.3 €/kg, 5.5 €/kg, and 3.9 €/kg for Sardegna, Galite, Western Crete, and Eastern Crete, respectively. Furthermore, the study estimates that, in order for the hydrogen-fueled ships to compete effectively with their oil-fueled counterparts, the levelized cost of hydrogen must drop below 3.5 €/kg. Thus, despite the competitive costs, further measures are necessary to make hydrogen-fueled ships a viable alternative to conventional diesel-fueled ships.