Towards sustainable energy technologies in the maritime industry: The dominance battle for hydrogen fuel cell technology

This paper focuses on the determinants of establishing dominant hydrogen fuel cell technology designs in the maritime industry in Western Europe. By systematically studying the battle between the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell, utilizing the best-worst method it arrives at importance for factors for design dominance. It appears that ‘fuel cell costs’ is the most important factor: it received a global average weight of 0.18. This is the first time that factors for design dominance are studied in the maritime industry and the paper offers novel empirical material from a distinct sector. It also provides a first indication that the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell will have the highest chance to become the dominant design although the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel cell is a close follower. The paper discusses contributions, implications, and future research recommendations for the literature on dominant designs. • This paper studies factors for hydrogen fuel cell technology design dominance. • Two technologies are compared in a systematic way using the best worst method. • Fuel Cell Costs was seen as most important receiving a global average weight of 0.18. • Solid Oxide Fuel Cell has the highest chance to dominate closely followed by PEMFC.