PowerUP Energy Technologies, the Estonian company renowned for its advanced hydrogen fuel cell-based electric generators, today announced a strategic partnership with H2Boat, an Italian marine hydrogen technology startup developing integrated solutions for onboard hydrogen production, storage, and use.
Check out our earlier interview with PowerUP CEO Ivar Kruusenberg.
The partnership aims to give yacht owners and shipyards a practical pathway to quieter, cleaner onboard energy systems by combining complementary technologies to deliver a complete, integrated zero-emission energy solution.
H2Boat, a spin-off from the University of Genoa, brings core expertise in marine hydrogen systems and proprietary metal hydride storage technology.
Its solutions are engineered for on-board integration, addressing a key challenge for hydrogen in the maritime sector: storing hydrogen safely and efficiently in a form compatible with the constraints of recreational and professional vessels.
The joint solution is designed to eliminate vibrations, noise, and greenhouse gas emissions, returning only pure water to the environment in a perfect circular-economy application.
"As a lifelong sailor, I know firsthand the absolute peace of being out on the open water, completely in tune with nature. It's like a guillotine dropping when you start a diesel generator," said Dr Ivar Kruusenberg, CEO and Founder of PowerUP Energy Technologies.
"For too long, there has been a glaring contradiction in our industry.
You enjoy this silent, green yachting experience, yet when you need to manoeuvre into the harbour or require backup power, you have to fire up a noisy, polluting diesel generator that instantly ruins the magic. With this partnership, we are finally eliminating that compromise."
The partnership combines H2Boat’s expertise in onboard hydrogen production, metal hydride storage, and marine system integration with PowerUP’s proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell generators.
Together, the companies aim to deliver an integrated system that produces hydrogen from renewable electricity, stores it safely on board, and converts it back into quiet, emission-free electricity for maritime use.
"By partnering with PowerUP, we can offer our customers an increasingly complete and integrated hydrogen energy solution, from production and storage through to clean electricity generation on board," said Thomas Lamberti, CEO of H2Boat.
"Customers no longer need to approach hydrogen production, storage and electricity generation as separate technologies supplied by different vendors.
Together, we can integrate these elements into one marine energy architecture, making hydrogen a more accessible and practical solution for the maritime sector."
Beyond onboard technology, H2Boat is also developing local hydrogen production and refilling solutions with well-known maritime clients in the Ligurian area and near the Swiss-Italian border, helping build the infrastructure needed to support the adoption of hydrogen-powered marine applications.