0.1. PROJECT CONTRIBUTION BEYOND THE STATE OF THE ART 1.2.1.

THE STATE OF THE TECHNOLOGY Nowadays there is not a big interest from the ship owners of implementing solar energy based technologies onboard ships as it is expensive with a long time investment return. Another aspect that must be taken into account for the future is the initial designing of ship (free surfaces needed for installing the system, initial sizing of the systems that will be interconnected with solar energy collecting system, personnel safety, ship stability, ea.). Researchers believe that the future in the shipping industry consists of the usage of energy sources already available in the marine environment such as solar, wind and wave energy (WWF International, 2011). One representative project is Beluga Sky Sail ship which came into operation in 2008. This ship has a system known as towing kite used as an additional propulsion source. Using this innovation, the fuel oil consumption is reduced by about 15% and therefore it will be a reduction of the harmful effects of greenhouse gas emissions. Another concept developed and implemented based on renewable energy usage in naval industry is Nichio Maru Ro-Ro ship, Figure 3, equipped with 281 solar photovoltaic modules, mounted on the upper decks. These modules are able to cover electricity demand and thus significantly reduce fuel consumption for power generation. Manufacturer, Nissan, states that the ship will consume 1,400 tons of fuel less per year and so will reduce emissions by 4200 tons (http://www.nissan-global.com). The payback period of the investment depends greatly on the fuel prices. For a reasonable fuel price annual increase at about 1015% the estimated payback period varies from 16 to 27 years. A higher increase ratio in the fuel price will lead to a shorter payback period, which converges to a minimum of 10 years (Glykas,A. et. al., 2010). Nevertheless, since 2010 the costs of PV panels have been significantly reduced so the amortisement time for the PV solutions is also decreasing; therefore it results the need of a well fundamented cost-benefit analysis.

Figure 3. Nichio Maru A project that demonstrates the effectiveness in the use of renewable energy in general and of solar energy in particular is represented by MS Turan Planet Solar ship, Figure 4, which made a voyage around the world in 585 days. The ship cost is $16 million and has 500 square meters of solar modules (38,000 photovoltaic cells) and can accommodate 60 people on board (http://www.planetsolar.org/).

Figure 4. MS Tranor Planet Solar Figure 5. Solar Albatross The use of renewable energy in the shipping industry is not limited to the development of technologies for electricity producing by using photovoltaic modules, but also 1/2

covers other potential energy sources such as wind, wave and other innovative systems using combinations of these sources. A successful example is Solar Albatross, a vessel with a 24 meters length, capable of carrying 100 passengers. Hybrid vessel is designed to capture both solar and wind energy, Figure 5 (http://www.sail-world.com). This concept can be applied to a larger scale. The costs of such a system implemented on a cargo ship are estimated to be worth $7 million. It is expected that the investment can be recovered in about 2 years because of fuel economy. Each solar sail will be approximately 800 square meters. Another project, incorporates all three forms of energy (solar, wind, wave) is thought out by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (http://www.2wglobal.com/www/wep//). The design was developed in 2005 at the request of Toyota, but the ship is expected to become operational around 2025. Fact is that they will use only energy sources listed above.

1.

REFERENCES

- Fernandez Soto, J.L., Garay Seijo, R., Fraguela Formoso, J.A., Gregorio Iglesias, G., Carral Couce, L. Alternative Sources of Energy in Shipping, The journal of navigation (2010), 63, 435448; - Glykas,A., Papaioannou, G., Perissakis, S., Application and cost-benefit analysis of solar hybrid power installation on merchant marine vessels, Ocean Engineering 37, 2010, p. 592 602; - International Council of Clean Transportation, 2011. Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Ships Cost Effectiveness of Available Options. The International Council of Clean Transportation, 2011; - Jang et al (2012). Top-down processed silicon nanowires for thermoelectric applications, Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 12, pp. 35523554; - Jin Z, Charlock T. P., Smith W. L. Jr., Rutledge K. A parameterization of ocean surface albedo, Geophysical research letters, vol. 31, 2004; - Matsuo, Y., Atkinson, g., 2013. Control systems, renewable energy & sustainable shipping. Digital Ship Conference, Tokyo. Japan. September 4th 2013; - Mekhilef S., Saidur R., Safari A. A review on solar energy use in industries, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 15, 2011; - Payne, R.E., Albedo at sea surface, Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, vol. 29, pg. 959 -970, 1972; - Reed, R. (1982): Comparison of measured and estimated insolation over the eastern Pacific ocean. J. Appl. Meteor., 21, 339341; - Second IMO GHG Study 2009, International Maritime Organization (IMO), London, UK, April 2009; Buhaug, ., Corbett, J.J., Endresen, ., Eyring, V., Faber, J., Hanayama, S., Lee, D.S., - Lee, D., Lindstad, H., Markowska, A.Z., Mjelde, A., Nelissen, D., Nilsen, J., Plsson, C., Winebrake, J.J., Wu, W., Yoshida, K.; - WWF International, 2011. The Energy Report 100% Renewable Energy by 2050. ISBN 978-2-940443-26-0; - *** http://www.nissan-global.com; - *** http://www.planetsolar.org/; - *** http://www.sail-world.com; - *** http://www.2wglobal.com/www/wep//;

2/2