Wärtsilä has signed an agreement with Eidesvik Offshore to install a hybrid system with batteries on board of its vessel “Viking Princess”. It will become the first offshore supply vessel in which batteries reduce the number of generators on board. The new energy storage solution will improve engine efficiency, generating fuel savings and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
As the company explained, the new energy storage solution replaces one of the vessel’s four generators and can provide balancing energy to cover the peaks, resulting in a more stable load on the engines. In essence, the technology is similar to that in hybrid cars: it keeps the engine load from dipping and re-routs the surplus to charge a battery, which in turn can fill in when needed.
In addition, there is significant potential for fuel savings through improved engine efficiency. In the dynamic positioning mode, when the battery is used as power redundancy and the engine runs at its most efficient load, the fuel saving potential is 30%. Consequently, the Viking Princess may cut CO2 emissions by 13–18% per year, depending on the operating conditions.
Enova SF supported the project with 6.5 million Norwegian crowns to accelerate sustainable energy production in the maritime sector.
“The Hybrid Energy System is a forward looking solution that not only reduces fuel consumption and emissions, but also contributes to safer and more efficient operations. We are confident that this project will have a positive effect on the industry. There is an increasing focus in shipping to reduce emissions and we believe that ship owners will continue to install hybrid solutions – both on existing vessels and new builds,” says Cato Esperø, Sales Director, Wärtsilä Norway.
Wärtsilä will install the new hybrid system in September 2017.
