Following successful in-port and offshore prototype testing, Norwegian lifting and handling specialist Seaonics is on track to commercialize its Ocean Charger solution for electric SOVs amid strong interest from wind farm developers.
High-voltage charging tests were conducted in port to charge the batteries on the Rem Offshore-owned diesel-electric hybrid CSOV (construction service operation vessel) REM Power as well as offshore from a charging point (cable reel, winch, and control system) mounted on a wind turbine.
“At 10 years old, the turbine is one of the smallest offshore but the prototype proved it is possible to install the Ocean Charger on an existing turbine and charge an SOV from Day 1, using 11 kilovolt (KV) current delivering 6 MW of charge,” said Bjørnar Huse, Sales Manager, Offshore Energy at Seaonics. “Apart from a handful of improvement points to fix, the concept and control system are complete and the product is available for sale as is. We’re first in the market and already in talks with wind farm owners.”
Because power current varies between wind parks and wind turbines, the commercial version will have to be customized for each project, Huse said.
The ability to charge vessels offshore in a cost-effective way is a central enabler for shipbuilders to deliver zero-emission SOVs to the offshore wind industry.
“Connecting vessels to the power grid in the wind farm and charging batteries regularly is a big step toward increasing sustainable operations without using any additional energy sources,” Huse said. “It saves the time and energy needed to return to port to charge, while the operating cost of electric SOVs versus diesel and alternative fuels is much lower, because both the energy is cheaper and you reduce engine maintenance demands. You still need diesels for back-up power, but quite a lot smaller than for a full diesel operation, with lower Capex.”
A large, 60-person SOV consumes 20 to 25 MW hours per day, so at 6 MW, an operator can potentially charge for a full day’s operation in three to four hours.
“But it’s better for the lifetime of the battery pack to never be completely depleted nor fully charged – between 50 and 80 percent is best,” Huse said. “You could charge for six hours at night, say, then do ad-hoc charging during the day.”
The product can be fitted to any structure and vessel and the power integrated with the vessel switchboard and the chosen charging voltage.
Huse said it would take a few months to customize the configuration and get approvals for a specific wind park and vessel.
“For wind farms that will be installed in two to four years’ time, there is ample time to do final integration design, fabrication, and installation on a new chartered SOV or retrofit an existing one,” he said. “Fitting the charging points to turbines before they are installed also streamlines the operation.”
More info www.seaonics.com
