Bergen Engines recently launched a comprehensive test program towards zero-carbon-emission engines, allowing a gradual transition from liquid natural gas to 100% green hydrogen fuel, as and when it becomes commercially available. The first tests on a B-Series Bergen gas engine, running on a blend of 15 %v hydrogen and 85 %v natural gas, have been successfully completed without any hardware adjustments.

It was confirmed that the power output was maintained according to specification at all load levels while the carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide emission were reduced. The lower unburned hydrocarbon levels and methane slip are also proven.

Hydrogen is being considered as an energy carrier for renewable fuel production for land power generation, short sea and inland navigation. A blend of hydrogen and natural gas as fuel is a first step towards zero carbon emissions, the company said.

Bergen Engines aims to have a commercial solution in the market that will accept hydrogen content of up to 60%, and solutions that can be further developed to accept 100% for new engines to come.

The aim is for its current gas engine fleet to take low levels of hydrogen without any hardware changes. When there is viable access to green hydrogen, the intention is that the Bergen engines are ready and mature with higher levels of hydrogen. An applicable engine upgrade may be done as part of a main service revision that includes piston replacement, so that a portion of the expense can be offset into the normal service cost.

Bergen Engines produces medium-speed liquid- and gas-fueled engines and generator sets supplied to a broad range of land-based, commercial marine and naval customers.

In 1946 the company built its first diesel engine and has since commissioned more than 7,000 of its liquid- and gas-fueled engines. More than half of them are still in operation today.

From 1999, Bergen Engines AS was owned by Rolls-Royce plc. On 31 December 2021, the company was sold to the privately owned engineering and industrial group, Langley Holdings plc. Bergen Engines will be at the core of Langley’s Power Solutions division, working closely with the Langley’s Italian Marelli Motori and German Piller Power Systems subsidiaries.