UPDATE 1-Solvay to test large fuel cell at Belgium plant

* Building fuel cell capable of powering ships, trucks

* Maximum output of fuel cell 1.7 megawatt

AMSTERDAM, (Reuters) - Belgian drugs, chemicals and plastics maker Solvay (SOLB.BR) will invest 5 million euros ($6.86 million) at its Antwerp plant to build a fuel cell capable of powering a truck or ship, it said on Wednesday.

Although not in wide use, fuel cells are attracting significant interest and investment as an alternative source of power, produced when hydrogen reacts with oxygen to produce electricity and water.

The test fuel cell will be capable of generating a constant flow of electricity of 1 megawatt and a maximum of 1.7 megawatt, Solvay said. Such fuel cells could be used for larger vehicles such as cars, buses, ships and trucks, the company said.

Solvay said the test fuel cell will be built using polymers from Solvay and electrodes from SolviCore, its 50-50 joint venture with Belgian metals and specialty materials maker Umicore NV/SA (UMI.BR).

The plant in Anterwerp, Belgium, where the test fuel cell will be made, is a joint venture between Solvay and Germany's BASF BASF.DE. (Reporting by Reed Stevenson; Editing by Erica Billingham)