A new project, named NH3 Spark – FutureFlex, has been announced by the Danish State initiative, the EUDP (Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Programme), according to MAN's release.
The project focuses on developing a dual-fuel, four-stroke GenSet capable of operating solely on ammonia without requiring a pilot fuel, marking a first for commercial, industrial engines.
The initiative is led by MAN Energy Solutions’ Holeby site, in collaboration with the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Skovgaard Energy, a Danish renewable-energy company.
The project consists of four phases, with the initial phase involving ammonia testing on a single-cylinder MAN GenSet at DTU Construct’s engine laboratory, scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2025.
Subsequent phases will include full-scale testing under powerplant conditions at Skovgaard Energy’s green-ammonia production facility.
Jarl Klüssmann, NH3 Spark Project Manager, stated: “We support the energy transition and are always happy to work with like-minded industry partners. This project brings together a unique constellation of collaborators with different competencies and I am confident we will deliver practicable results that the market will be able to capitalise upon.”
MAN Energy Solutions aims to develop a small-bore engine prioritizing simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and retrofit suitability, relevant for the over 20,000 MAN GenSet engines designed at the Holeby site.
The project will also assess the engine’s compatibility with other low-emission fuels, reflected in the ‘FutureFlex’ name.
Warley Thomsen, Senior R&D Specialist at MAN Energy Solutions, commented: “This project has the potential to create a new niche for the well-proven oil-fuelled engine where units can be quickly retrofitted or installed onboard new ships or in power plants. It aims to provide an attractive retrofit solution for existing engines with fuel-flexibility as a priority. The concept will be capable of operating purely on ammonia but also on conventional biofuel oils to accommodate shipowners and the environment, regardless of which future-fuels ultimately prevail.”
Support for the project comes from the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, DFDS, an international shipping and logistics company, and Hafnia, a leading tanker owner. A classification society will join the project at a later stage.
MAN Energy Solutions is a global leader in large-bore engines and turbomachinery for marine and stationary applications, headquartered in Augsburg, Germany. Its Holeby site in Denmark specializes in designing GenSet engines, with over 20,000 units in operation worldwide.
Skovgaard Energy is a Danish renewable-energy company focused on green energy solutions, including the production of green ammonia. Skovgaard Energy operates facilities that support testing and deployment of sustainable energy technologies, such as the green-ammonia production site involved in the NH3 Spark – FutureFlex project.
Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping, based in Copenhagen, Denmark, focuses on decarbonizing the maritime industry.
DFDS is a Danish international shipping and logistics company headquartered in Copenhagen.
Hafnia is a leading global tanker owner based in Singapore, operates one of the largest fleets of product tankers, transporting oil, chemicals, and other liquids.