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New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
Wind-assisted propulsion for shipping
29/5/2024
10 min read
Feature
Wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) are emerging as a key option in shipping’s quest for net zero. Johanna Tranell, WAPS expert at DNV Maritime Advisory, provides an overview of some of today’s technologies and their future potential.
Decarbonisation of shipping is underway. International Maritime Organisation (IMO) decarbonisation goals now call for net zero emissions by 2050, while even stricter regulations by regional bodies, like the European Union (EU), are putting a price on carbon emissions. Under pressure to reduce emissions, shipowners are exploring all options. However, the nature of ships and the length of typical voyages means that shipping is one of the ‘hard-to-abate’ sectors, where solutions like electrification are challenging to apply.
Other routes to decarbonisation are needed and alternative fuels like methanol, ammonia and biofuels are seen as the most likely long-term solution. However, these are in short supply and infrastructure is still years away from full development. Therefore, energy efficiency is seen as the most practical way of reducing emissions in the short term.
A range of energy efficiency measures are available today, and WAPS are already proving to be an attractive one. Recent images of elegant sails supplanted on modern vessels have captured the imagination of the maritime industry, and beyond, solving a modern problem by bringing us all the way back to our roots. As DNV Maritime CEO Knut Ørback-Nilsson said recently: ‘After all these years of technological development, who would have thought we would be sailing again?’