A PV system has been put into use on a new cargo ship developed by HGK Shipping and Salzgitter AG, so that electricity is delivered directly to the drive system of the ship. A total of 192 solar modules offer electricity for both the built -in low -voltage system and the high -voltage unit.
Wattlab, a Dutch solar company, said that this is the first PV system in the world that solar energy feeds directly into the electrical propulsion of a cargo ship.
The modules were installed on the shipyard of the Gerlien van Tiem and the photovoltaic system was put into use in less than two weeks. The project partners include Blommaert -Aluminum and Van Tiem Electro. The “Blue Marlin” cargo ship is a new build, but Wattlab said that a retrofit on a ship with similar size would not require more than a week of downtime.
Under optimum conditions, the PV array supplies up to 35 kW and is fully integrated into the drive system of the 135-meter-long cargo ship. It works in addition to four diesel generators that feed the electric drive system.
The integration of solar energy and battery storage reduces the need to activate an extra generator during periods of high energy availability. Wattlab said that automated energy management improves efficiency and reduces fuel consumption.
“When the ship is loaded slightly and travel downstream, we even expect it to work exclusively on solar energy for a while,” said David Kester, co-founder of Wattlab.
Steel manufacturer Salzgitter and German logistics provider HGK shipping jointly designed the cargo ship. It transports steel and bulk materials on the northwest -German canal network between Salzgitter and Friedrichsfeld. The ship has a maximum load capacity of 3,110 tons.
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