Volvo Penta has identified that people transportation ferries are a key player in pioneering the marine industry’s transformation into electrified and other future propulsion systems. The predictability of set routes provides the perfect gateway for the introduction and learning cycles of new technology and the related infrastructure that will make it become increasingly viable. It’s no wonder that people transportation ferries are one of the marine industry’s fastest adopters of more sustainable technology.
“Volvo Penta recognizes that the marine industry’s future energy mix will vary to cover the abundance of different use cases,” said Jan-Willem Vissers, Director of Marine Commercial Global at Volvo Penta. “Our investments and innovation paths reflect this reality as we explore solutions that span electrification, fuel cell technology, and alternative single- and dual-fuel options that make existing technology immediately more sustainable – because let’s not forget the gains we can achieve already today.”
“People transportation ferries are a key player in our industry’s efforts to create safe, reliable and future-proof solutions, particularly in electric propulsion. It’s relatively easy to build a fully-electric ferry, because it’s known in advance exactly what is needed. The lag in charging infrastructure is still a challenge but that will improve year by year and then we’ll see a great opportunity for the entire industry to learn a lot from the route shaped by electrified people transportation ferries.”
Modularity for flexibility
Electrification in the people transportation segment continues to expand around the globe. Slow crossing ferries are arguably the most active user. They’re typically a fully electric operation with diesel-electric backup power – we call it a ‘power of plenty’ system – which uses multiple small power supplies instead of a lesser number of larger power supplies. New technology will arrive and require changes to active vessels, so ferry operators needing to invest in new vessels now are opting for this ‘power of plenty’ to future-proof the investment.
“What we’re seeing are new vessel installations that are modular – to cover today’s operational, regulatory and sustainability requirements – and in future can be adapted to tomorrow’s best practice when better technology becomes available. So by using numerous small power supplies instead of one large supply, it’s possible to swap out certain parts of the solution when needed.
“One example of this is that it’s more viable to replace a 200 kW genset in the future with a fuel cell or battery pack than it is to replace a single 1,000 kW genset,” said Jan-Willem.
More solutions
The growing global demand for this modular approach sparked the recent Volvo Penta launch of a new range of variable speed marine generator sets – a key enabler for electric propulsion for marine vessels – demonstrating the company’s commitment to leading the marine industry in its transformation towards sustainable marine propulsion.
The new variable speed marine generator sets, available from 190 kWe to 545 kWe, are now a standard part of the Volvo Penta marine range. Now shipyards can install hybrid-electric modular propulsion systems today, so operators can invest in new vessels with the peace of mind that they are built ready and adaptable for emerging alternative energy sources.
Delivering results today
The variable speed marine generator sets make it possible to build vessels such as people transportation ferries with smaller battery banks that can be charged on the move if needed. So operators can already begin to make meaningful gains as we all strive for continually improving sustainability.
“An added benefit of our new variable speed marine generator sets is that they are approved for use with HVO biofuel,” said Jan-Willem. “Like with all Volvo Penta commercial marine engines, operators can improve their sustainability by running on a blend or full HVO 100 fuel, instead of standard fuel, to reduce fossil CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent.
“The combination of a switch to a modular hybrid system and utilizing HVO 100 is a good example of how a significant CO2 emission reduction is already possible with existing technology.
“By making our Volvo Penta variable speed marine generator sets more widely available, our journey towards more sustainable propulsion for the marine industry is becoming a reality already today. Now, people transportation ferries and other vessels can install modular hybrid propulsion systems ready to be adapted to future energy choices, meanwhile delivering immediate improvements,” said Jan-Willem.
How it works
A typical installation sees a modular series of variable speed marine generator sets installed to power electric drives with or without battery packs. This direct current (DC) grid system is easy to upgrade with alternative power sources and has fewer components, weighing less – especially when compared to batteries as the sole energy carrier – making the vessel more efficient.
This type of modular ‘power of plenty’ installation also creates the option of minimizing the number of engines running. For example, if only two of five engines are needed to deliver the required power for the task, any excess can remain off and the marine generator sets can run in the efficiency sweet spot, saving additional fuel and CO2 emissions for the operator.
The flexibility of a modular installation is further amplified by the fact that the new Volvo Penta variable speed marine generator sets, in each of the respective power ranges, are the most compact solutions that meet the latest IMO Tier III regulations. They’re also water-cooled, which means less noise and heat radiation to the direct environment, improving the efficiency of the package, resulting in higher efficiency for the owners.
