The EU’s Horizon Europe program has awarded €7.8m (US$8.2m) to the Steesmat project to develop a power system based on medium voltage direct current (MVDC), replacing today’s conventional alternating current (AC) systems.
Targeting a 40% emissions reduction
With Norway’s Maritime CleanTech at the helm, 13 European partners will collaborate on the power distribution system tailored to the needs of zero-emission vessels. This solution enables engines to operate more efficiently at variable speeds while making it easier to integrate various renewable energy sources on large vessels, such as batteries, solar panels, fuel cells and wind turbines. The Steesmat system will also make ships lighter and more energy efficient, and offer the potential to cut emissions by up to 40%.
Ada M. Jakobsen, CEO of Maritime CleanTech, said, “The EU’s €7.8m [US$8.2m] support enables us to develop solutions that not only cut emissions but also streamline the integration of sustainable energy sources. I am proud of our partners, who are working together to create a more efficient and climate-friendly shipping industry.”
Former Coast Guard vessel test arena
The former Norwegian Coast Guard vessel KV Senja – now renamed RV North Star – will serve as a floating laboratory for the project. The ship will be equipped with the new direct current grid, which will be tested in real sea conditions.
“We are excited to leverage our test facilities to develop new solutions that will help reduce emissions from global shipping,” commented Willie Wågen, CEO of the Sustainable Energy Catapult Centre, who has made the vessel available as a test platform for the project. “The technology will first be tested at our onshore facility before being demonstrated at sea aboard the RV North Star.”
With increasingly stringent international regulations and rising costs associated with shipping emissions, the Steesmat project forms a key component of the EU’s green shipping strategy, aiming for commercialization of the new technology by 2029.
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In related news, IGY Marinas recently partnered with Aqua superPower to bring electric marine charging to Sardinia. The partners will install an Aqua 75 marine fast charger at IGY Portisco Marina. Click here to read the full story.