Marine Power Generation and Recent Breakthroughs in the Market

Cutting down carbon emissions has become a key priority for most industries across the globe. Recently, in line with growing global consciousness, the marine sector too has started taking significant steps in reducing its carbon footprint. After all, a single container ship's carbon emissions can exceed that of over 70,000 cars.

What's more, with studies indicating that almost 3% of all global carbon emissions come from the marine industry, more needs to be done by leaders in the sector to make a concerted effort towards sustainability.

With the industry shifting gears and redirecting its focus towards increased decarbonization, I feel that some of the following developments and trends are poised to play a significant role in the sector. 

Sailing towards sustainability

As marine companies step away from fossil fuels and embrace sustainability, they are considering alternative ways to generate power. Multiple solutions being offered — such as solar energy, hydrogen fuel, wind energy, and marine battery systems — can help the sector achieve net-zero emissions. However, given the potential of electrification, an increasing number of marine companies are considering battery and electric driveline solutions for their vessels. 

Marine industry embraces electric technology 

Electric technology has already proved its mettle in the automotive industry where electric vehicles (EVs) are supremely popular among consumers. Now, the marine industry is experiencing a similar trend. Marine companies have started investing in hybrid as well as fully electric ships. As batteries continue to become lighter and more powerful, we are likely to see the electrification of bigger vessels that can carry heavier loads in the future. 

Volvo Penta’s push towards electromobility

Volvo Penta has been rolling out several electromobility initiatives to cut down carbon emissions and levels of noise pollution. Simply put, electromobility is the use of electric vehicles as a step towards sustainability. From electric buses to hydrogen fuel cells, the company is making advancements on multiple fronts. Volvo Penta is also focusing on marine electromobility and to accelerate its development, the company has acquired a major stake in ZEM, a Norwegian supplier of marine battery systems and electric drivelines.

Volvo Penta expands its capabilities 

While Volvo Penta has established itself as a global electromobility leader and is well-positioned to leverage many technologies and power solutions to further develop the field, marine eco-mobility has its specific requirements. We need to consider several factors, including safety, infrastructure for charging, installation environment, and marine regulations. To gain all this know-how and experience, Volvo Penta has acquired a major stake in ZEM.

With over 12 years of experience, ZEM has been delivering battery solutions for all sorts of vessels, ranging from small lifeboats to high-speed passenger ships. The company is also known for pioneering the first electric free-fall lifeboat and the fastest battery-driven catamaran in the world. This acquisition has brought Volvo Penta significantly closer to its aim of zero emissions. 

Next steps in marine power generation 

Marine electrification is still in its early stages, and currently, mostly smaller vessels and ships are undergoing electrification. It might take a while for us to fully electrify bigger vessels like container ships. However, collaborations like that of Volvo Penta and ZEM are expected to accelerate the development of more advanced batteries. With progressions in both infrastructure and batteries, the marine sector is on the right course to reach net-zero emissions in the near future. 

Marine electrification in the UAE

The UAE has also made sustainability one of its top priorities and aims to reduce carbon emissions by almost 25% by 2030. What’s more, discussions focusing on the decarbonization of the marine sector are taking place at events like the UAE Maritime Week. 

Al Masaood Power Division, a UAE-based partner of Volvo Penta, has aligned itself with these goals. The company is keen to roll out cutting-edge marine electrification solutions to reduce the region’s marine carbon footprint. 

Over the last few years, we have made significant progress in terms of stepping away from fossil fuels. By adopting innovations like electrification and forging new partnerships, we can accelerate this transformation of the marine sector even faster. Sustainability goals such as eco-mobility and net-zero emissions can be within our reach.