The latest addition to the Ostenso Rederij fleet claims that it’s capable of cutting the typical PSV energy draw by between 25% and 30% – while still running plain ordinary diesel, writes Stevie Knight.
So, it’s worth asking exactly how the 96.2m Edda Ferd does it. Ketil Aagesen of Siemens explains that some of it is down to the use of a cleverly managed battery bank: “To start with, the batteries cut in with instant power to take the edge off some of the sudden spikes in any peak power demands,” he says, adding that the hybrid installation is connected to two AC asynchronous water-cooled motors that can push out 2,700kW each.
This adds a whole new layer of flexibility, with the batteries acting as the sole energy source for the low load conditions and handling peak demands without starting up standby engines explains Mr Aagesen.
However, it’s the way batteries can act as an energy buffer that is possibly the most important point for the vessel’s DP2 systems; it means the bank can step in as a bridge, allowing different kinds of energy configuration to provide the necessary spinning reserve.
Read more: http://www.motorship.com/news101/ships-and-shipyards/introducing-the-truly-innovative-edda-ferd