CENERGY is one of the partners of the HY2FISH project, funded by the European Union under the Pilot Projects and Preparatory Actions scheme of the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). The project aims to pioneer the decarbonization of the fisheries sector by developing and demonstrating innovative, scalable, and cost-effective solutions for small and medium-sized fishing vessels. By retrofitting a traditional +12m Mediterranean fishing vessel with a hybridized system of Hydrogen Fuel Cells and batteries, HY2FISH targets a reduction of fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by up to 40%, reaching 100% when powered by renewable energy sources. Where the transition to sustainable fishing is often hindered by high capital costs and complex technical requirements, HY2FISH brings a modular "plug-and-play" approach. The project integrates advanced hydrodynamics, optimized low-noise propellers, and lightweight Type IV hydrogen storage tanks to ensure that green technologies can be seamlessly adopted by existing fleets without compromising load capacity or operational autonomy.

The project sets the knowledge base for a new generation of green waterborne transport, validating a complete powertrain that includes a hydrogen rotary (Wankel) generator, a PEM Fuel Cell, and flexible photovoltaic (PV) integration. Through a real-life demonstrator operating off the Spanish coast, HY2FISH will provide a validated business case for the large-scale upscaling of zero-emission fishing technologies across Europe.

CENERGY's contribution to HY2FISH draws directly on its decade-long expertise in PEM and high-temperature PEM fuel cell systems. CENERGY is responsible for the design, modelling, and validation of the hydrogen power modules to be integrated into the demonstrator vessel. This work encompasses thermodynamic analysis of the fuel cell stack operation under marine conditions, definition of the hydrogen supply and management strategy, and the development of simulation tools to predict and optimise system performance across realistic fishing mission profiles. CENERGY also contributes to the overall energy management architecture, ensuring the seamless interaction between the fuel cell units, the battery pack, and the vessel's electrical loads.