EMEA News
Executive Sounds Upbeat Note on Marine Electrification
There are two ways for ships to use electrification to reduce emissions, first through hybrid or all-electric operation or second by using cold ironing while in port.
But while the capital required to make ship-to-shore power a reality is a constraint, Vattenfall executive Carolina Escudero sees the support vessel sector in offshore wind as a viable case for the switch to greener energy.
The executive told the Offshore Wind Journal that supplying larger vessels with electrical power is a challenge on the current level of technology. But she is aware of "an increase in all-electric powertrains combined with conventional options in readiness for a future increase in battery power density that would enable them to go completely fossil-free".
The second option of cold ironing would become widespread as large wind developers push to decarbonise their operations.
"The reason I expect this is that the technology required to provide ship-to-shore power is proven. It only needs capital investment from ports," she was quoted as saying.
In the offshore wind sector, crew transfer support vessels could make the switch to electrical power although a certain level of demand would be required to spur ports on to put up the capital.
Escudero acknowleged that while "the business case for shore power is driven purely by economics" once more stringent emission regulations come into force, ports will need to make the change to greener forms of energy.
Vattenfall Network Solutions is an electricity distributor.
