Integrating Wind Electrical Energy for the Marine Electrical Power System

Abstract

Utilization of renewable energy for the reduction of fuel consumption and green house gas (GHG) emissions in the shipping industry has been increased rapidly in the recent years. Wind energy is a clean renewable energy with no pollution which is abundantly available at sea. This paper proposes two different possible configurations of connecting wind power energy into the ship’s main grid bus system . Wind electrical energy output has been connected to ship’s main ac bus system in one configuration and it is connected to ship’s main dc bus system. Even though Wind assisted ship propulsion (WASP) had been started already in the last decades in the form of wing sails, kites, Flettener rotor etc which could assist auxiliary propulsion of the ships, the application of wind power generator on the ship is not often applied. Therefore this paper has a relevant significance in applying wind electrical energy for the marine electrical power system needs. This paper also reveals the benefits and challenges in the area of onboard wind generation and opens future research possibilities in integrating wind energy into marine industry.