Wartsila’s Technology Group has announced what it calls a new milestone in battery technology development as the company has completed the installation of a hybrid energy system onboard supply vessel Viking Princess.
The Norwegian vessel is now the first ever offshore supply vessel in which batteries have replaced one of four generators. The new energy storage solution will improve engine efficiency, generate fuel savings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to Wartsila.
Viking Princess completed sea trials and the system was handed over to customer Eidesvik Offshore on Oct.9 2017.
The fuel saving potential can be up to 30 percent in various operations and the CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to approximately 13-18 percent per year, depending on operational conditions and requirements, according to a prepared statement.
Furthermore, the hybrid solution will provide a more optimal load on the engines, while the intervals between engine maintenance can be extended.
Viking Princess now runs on a combination of a battery pack for energy storage and three LNG-fueled Wartsila engines. The new energy storage solution provides balancing energy to cover the demand peaks, resulting in a more stable load on the engines. The technology is similar to that used in hybrid vehicles: it prevents the engine load from dipping, and uses the surplus to re-energize the battery, which can be charged as needed.
