A joint study by ScottishPower Renewables and Stillstrom by Maersk has concluded that battery-powered, zero-emission service operation vessels (SOVs) can be effectively integrated into offshore wind farm operations.
The study, the first in a series commissioned by ScottishPower Renewables, examined the feasibility and benefits of electrifying offshore vessel operations. The study confirms the technical, operational, and economic viability of integrating offshore charging and electric SOVs (E-SOVs).
Findings indicate E-SOVs can operate in zero-emission mode for 18-19 hours daily without charging, significantly reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The business case for E-SOVs is deemed competitive with traditional marine gas oil-fueled vessels and more cost-effective than e-methanol solutions.
ScottishPower Renewables states, “Operating E-SOVs in offshore windfarms will almost entirely remove service vessel-related GHG-emissions as E-SOVs are powered by the clean power at hand in the offshore windfarm.”
The study also highlights the potential for offshore wind farms to provide the necessary grid infrastructure for charging E-SOVs, offering control over fuel costs and reducing exposure to fuel price volatility.
Ross Ovens, Managing Director Offshore at ScottishPower Renewables, stated, “By the end of the decade, our aim is to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions for our offshore projects by more than two-thirds and research like this demonstrates the potential to decarbonise marine operations, which could help achieve this ambition.”
ScottishPower Renewables is a UK-based developer of onshore and offshore wind farms, and part of the Iberdrola Group, focusing on renewable energy generation.
Stillstrom, a Maersk company, develops and operates offshore charging solutions for vessels, aiming to decarbonize maritime operations.