SAN FRANCISCO—A 150 passenger, high speed, fuel-cell powered ferry could be coming to the city of San Francisco. Two years ago, researchers Joe Pratt and Lennie Klebanoff proposed the idea of the commuter ferry for SF-BREEZE, an acronym that stands for San Francisco Bay Renewable Energy Electric vessel with Zero Emissions.
In a press release from June 2015 by Sandia Laboratories, which is partnering with Red and White Fleet to develop the ferry, it was revealed that the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration is funding the research. Other organizations involved with the project include: the American Bureau of Shipping, the U.S. Coast Guard, Elliot Bay Design Group, the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Resources Board, and the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
“We are involving so many stakeholders up front because if the feasibility study shows a ‘go’ we want to make sure the next phase has a rock-solid foundation,” said Pratt.
In Pratt and Klebanoff’s final report, from September 2016, revealed that a zero emission ferry is a feasible endeavor. Necessary precautions and consultations have gone through the proper channels during an examination of the proposal.
Though the design of the ferry has a significant cost premium compared to a diesel-fueled ferry, the report states that, “Cost reduction strategies specific to the vessel and leveraging those expected in the fuel cell electric vehicle market may result in future cost parity.”
The full report may be found on the Sandia Laboratories website.
