Exploitation of the far-offshore wind energy resource by fleets of energy ships. Part A. Energy ship design and performance

Abstract

<jats:p>Abstract. This paper deals with a new concept for the conversion of far-offshore wind energy into sustainable fuel. It relies on autonomously sailing energy ships and manned support tankers. Energy ships are wind-propelled. They generate electricity using water turbines attached underneath their hull. Since energy ships are not grid-connected, they include onboard power-to-X plants for storage of the produced energy. In the present work, the energy vector is methanol. The aim of the paper is to propose an energy ship design and to provide an estimate for its energy performance as function of the wind conditions. The energy performance assessment is based on a numerical model which is described in the paper. Results show that the wind energy-to-methanol (chemical energy) conversion efficiency is 24 % and that such energy ship deployed in the North Atlantic Ocean could produce approximately 5 GWh per annum of chemical energy (900 tonnes of methanol per annum). </jats:p>

Exploitation of the far-offshore wind energy resource by fleets of energy ships – Part 2: Updated ship design and cost of energy estimate

“…The energy ship design considered in this study is a revision of that presented in (Babarit et al, 2020), see Fig. 3.…”

“…The generated electricity is converted into fuel using onboard power-to-gas (PtG) or power-to-liquid (PtL) plants. In the proposed system, the fuel is methanol (see Babarit et al, 2020 andBabarit et al, 2019 for a detailed explanation of the choice of methanol rather than carbon-free fuels like hydrogen or ammonia).…”

“…The overall aim of the present study is to investigate the energy and economic performance of the FARWIND energy system. A preliminary energy ship design was proposed in (Babarit et al, 2020) and its energy performance was investigated. This design has been reviewed by ocean engineering and marine renewable energy's experts of the Marine Energy Alliance European project (EMEC, 2020); and wind-assisted propulsion experts (Blue WASP, 2020).…”

“…Since energy ships are not grid-connected, they include onboard power-to-X plants for storage of the produced energy. In the present work, the energy vector X is methanol.In the first part of this study (Babarit et al, 2020), an energy ship design has been proposed and its energy performance has been assessed. In this second part, the aim is to estimate the energy and economic performance of such system.In collaboration with ocean engineering, marine renewable energy and wind-assisted propulsion's experts, the energy ship design of the first part has been revised and updated.…”

“…In the first part of this study (Babarit et al, 2020), an energy ship design has been proposed and its energy performance has been assessed. In this second part, the aim is to estimate the energy and economic performance of such system.…”