The installation of PV panels manufactured by solar energy specialist Solbian was carried out on the 2016-built Paolo Topic, at Japan’s Onomichi Dockyard.

The fully integrated Wärtsilä HY Module solution includes an energy management system and batteries that delivers auxiliary power to the ship’s grid. It is described as a compact containerised solution that cuts a vessel’s emissions by optimising the onboard power production, consumption, and management.

According to Wärtsilä, the HY module gives the possibility to combine and integrate an energy storage system and additional energy sources, such as solar power, with Wärtsilä’s highly sophisticated Energy Management System (EMS) to deliver auxiliary power. The EMS has overall control of the engines, batteries, power distribution, and with the installation of solar panels on the weather deck it is a “maritime industry first”.

The containerised module has been placed on the ship’s deck to save space and has been installed without the need for dry-docking.

A Wärtsilä statement asserts: “When coupled with other sources of energy such as the PV panels the benefits are enhanced. It will address the marine sector’s major challenges to lower operating costs while simultaneously reducing environmental impact. The solution achieves this through significant reductions in fuel consumption and maintenance needs, while offering cleaner, safer, and more efficient operations. It also contributes to placing the vessel in a positive position regarding the industry’s Energy Efficiency Existing Ship (EEXI) and Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII) indexes.”

WinGD opens future-focused R&D test centre
Marine engine technology company WinGD has opened a new collaborative Global Test Centre in Shanghai, China. The facility is a collaboration with CSPI (China Shipbuilding Power Engineering Institute Co., Ltd.) for “the advancement of a decarbonised future through sustainable fuel and combustion research and innovation”.