Solar power for shipping takes a step forward
The Anette has been equipped with the SolarDeck panels (Source: Wattlab)
Netherlands-based solar power specialist, Wattlab, has launched its SolarDeck technology for oceangoing ships. The deck-mounted solar panels have been successfully tried and tested on the 119m-long general cargo vessel, Anette, owned and operated by Netherlands-based shipping company, Vertom.
Eight-year-old Wattlab has focused so far on a similar technology for inland shipping, Solar Flatrack. Now, with the positive results from the Anette project, the company is turning its attention to seagoing vessels.
The Anette trials demonstrated fuel savings of about 20 tonnes a year and annual emission reductions of 68 tonnes of carbon dioxide. This level of saving, the company said, would have a significant impact on EEXI and CII ratings as well as potential savings under EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime regulations. The impact of the technology would rise in step with vessel size.
Wattlab’s CEO, Bo Salet, said: “At all times during the design of SolarDeck, we prioritised the shipowner’s requirements. We know that ‘time is money’. That’s why the SolarDeck can be installed in a minimum amount of time using container twist lock fittings. It also does not impact normal loading and unloading procedures. However, we also know – for cargo shipowners especially – that ‘space is money’. In the event of a deck load such as offshore wind blades, the ship’s crew can store the SolarDeck inside the volume of a 20-foot container, thus freeing up the deck for cargo.”
Wattlab’s SolarDeck pilot project has been co-financed by the European Union’s Just Transition Fund (JTF).
