While electric vehicles (EVs) have successfully entered the mainstream, the electrification of large-scale vessels remains a formidable challenge. Unlike passenger cars, large commercial vessels must transport tens of thousands of tons over vast distances for weeks at a time without the possibility of mid-voyage recharging. This necessitates not only massive energy storage solutions but a fundamental redesign of the ship’s propulsion architecture.
To resolve such issues, the shipbuilding industry is exploring solutions that use electricity generated from clean energy sources such as hydrogen, natural gas, and ammonia to power propulsion motors. This approach significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions while also minimizing vibration and noise.
Electrification has three phases: power generation, distribution and conversion, and propulsion.
Power Generation for Electric-Powered Ships: Energy Mix
HD Hyundai is expanding the development and application of its “energy mix power system,” which combines dual-fuel engines (DFGE) with ammonia-based solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC).
DFGE offers flexibility in responding to fluctuations in power demand. During vessel operations, propulsion loads can change rapidly, and onboard power requirements may surge depending on equipment usage. DFGE systems can respond quickly and efficiently to these variations.
SOFC systems, on the other hand, generate electricity through electrochemical reactions, directly converting the chemical energy of fuel into electricity without combustion. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, this process reduces energy loss and improves overall efficiency compared to conventional engine- or turbine-based systems. (....)