MODEC, Inc. and Norwegian firm Eld Energy AS have reached a significant milestone in their joint effort to bring solid oxide fuel cell power systems to floating production, storage, and offloading vessels, completing the Technology Feasibility and Concept Verification stage of the American Bureau of Shipping's New Technology Qualification process.

The achievement, announced September 15, 2026, marks the first time the safety, reliability and regulatory compliance of SOFC technology have been confirmed for an offshore FPSO application at this level of the ABS qualification framework. The milestone was formally presented to the two companies at Gastech 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand.

What the Qualification Stage Confirms

The ABS New Technology Qualification process provides a structured framework for demonstrating that a technology performs as claimed and that associated risks are understood and controlled before deployment in demanding offshore environments. Completing the Technology Feasibility and Concept Verification stage represents an early but foundational step in that process, requiring key risk assessments including hazard identification, hazard and operability studies, and failure mode and effects analysis, all subject to independent ABS review.

Matt Tremblay, Senior Vice President of Global Offshore Markets at ABS, described the progress as reflecting disciplined engineering work.

"The ABS NTQ process gives MODEC and Eld Energy a structured way to demonstrate that the technology performs as claimed and that the risks are understood and managed before it goes offshore," he said. "The milestones they have achieved to date reflect serious, systematic engineering work, and that's the kind of progress that moves this technology closer to routine offshore use."

The Eld Power Module and Planned Pilot

At the centre of the project is the Eld Power Module, a 40-kilowatt solid oxide fuel cell system developed by Eld Energy and engineered to run on produced gas from FPSOs as well as alternative low-emission fuels.

The system is designed to achieve an overall power efficiency of up to approximately 70 percent. MODEC intends to integrate the 40-kilowatt module into an operating FPSO to monitor system performance using real produced gas under actual offshore conditions.

That integration is contingent on the successful completion of the next phase of the ABS qualification process, described as a prototype validation stage, along with associated ABS engineering reviews required before installation can proceed.

Hans Fredrik Lindøen-Kjellnes, Chief Executive Officer of Eld Energy, said the outcome demonstrated the concept's ability to meet the sector's demanding safety standards.

"Early engagement with the Class society has been very helpful in bringing the product forward," he said. "This marks a significant step towards decarbonization of offshore operations."

A Roadmap Toward Multi-Megawatt Scale

The offshore pilot test campaign is expected to generate data that will support subsequent development phases. These include scaling the technology from the current 40-kilowatt module to a 120-kilowatt system, which is designed with readiness for integration with carbon capture equipment.

The longer-term trajectory points toward a multi-megawatt-class solution.

The overall power generation system has been designed to operate not only on produced gas but also on hydrogen-rich gas recycled from an integrated carbon capture system, making the technology's compatibility with carbon capture a central element of the development strategy.

MODEC and Eld Energy have previously signed a joint development agreement to advance an integrated 120-kilowatt SOFC and carbon dioxide capture system for FPSOs, as well as a memorandum of understanding to develop a 1.2-megawatt power system integrated with carbon capture for future zero-emission FPSOs.

Strategic Alignment with MODEC's Decarbonization Goals

Koichi Matsumiya, Chief Technical and Technology Officer of MODEC, framed the project within the company's broader effort to reconcile environmental responsibility with the continued demands of global energy supply.

"We, together with Eld Energy, are advancing the development of an innovative compact low-carbon power system by leveraging the high fuel efficiency of SOFC and their strong compatibility with Carbon Capture, aiming to expand the power supply solutions for offshore production facilities," he said.

The programme is formally aligned with MODEC's Vision 2034 strategy, which targets significant greenhouse gas reductions in offshore energy production without compromising operational availability. Tjalve Svendsen, Chief Technology Officer of Eld Energy, was among the company representatives present at Gastech 2026 when ABS formally presented the NTQ recognition.

Others attending included MODEC's President and Chief Executive Officer Hirohiko Miyata, MODEC's SOFC research and development project manager Junya Suzuki, and senior representatives from ABS's global sustainability and regional business development functions.

Broader Implications for FPSO Power Generation

Tremblay of ABS pointed to the potential significance of SOFC technology for the emissions profile of the FPSO sector more broadly. "SOFC technology has real potential to change the emissions profile of FPSO power generation," he said, characterising the NTQ process as the mechanism through which that potential can be validated in a rigorous and credible way.

Solid oxide fuel cells operate at high temperatures and convert fuel to electricity through an electrochemical process rather than combustion, enabling higher efficiency than conventional gas turbine or diesel generator arrangements typically found aboard FPSOs.

The compatibility of SOFC systems with carbon capture is a function of the relatively concentrated carbon dioxide streams they produce, which are more amenable to capture than the dilute exhaust gases from combustion-based power sources.

The next phase of the ABS qualification process, the prototype validation stage, will determine whether the 40-kilowatt Eld Power Module can proceed to installation on a live FPSO for the planned pilot test under real offshore operating conditions.