Get the most from your hybrid-electric system

Hybrid power unlocks a world of opportunities. It marks a shift from traditional power systems and disrupts the classic, internal combustion engine-based technical paradigm for vessel power management, by decoupling the electrical and power systems.

Benefits for the maritime industry include fuel efficiency, with successful installations capable of saving shipowners 10% (rising to nearly 30% for smaller-sized vessels) in fuel compared to traditional diesel-only propulsion. Hybrid-electric batteries aid propulsion by ensuring the vessel’s engine operates at optimal loads. They also provide flexibility, with the crew being able to switch between power modes anytime. Noise reduction is also a considerable benefit.

Reducing emissions by up to 20%, as this TechnipFMC story demonstrates, is another upside to investing in hybrid. For example, a conventional diesel-run large tanker or a container ship can emit harmful pollutants equivalent to 50 million cars during its operational lifetime.

It’s clear that hybrid-electric is better for the environment. But with no one-size-fits-all solution, shipping companies may struggle to choose systems that work seamlessly with other technology onboard their vessels.

The range of options for hybrid systems is growing. There is no standard solution for a hybrid vessel; from the size and capacity of the battery, its expected service life and the battery management system to the cooling, alarm and safety systems that accompany it, the number of decisions involved is vast. Different elements may have varying costs, be tricky to source and suit some vessel types better than others.

Having navigated these choices with our help, shipowners and operators then face another challenge – ensuring that these different elements work seamlessly together. As a specialist in integrating hybrid-electric with automation technology, Høglund can help shipping companies pick the right systems for their vessel.

We understand that any battery or hybrid system must be able to interact effectively with a ship’s power management, alarm and cargo control systems. Drawing on our experience, we have the confidence to advise crew, owners and operators on how integrated automation gives them better access to the hybrid systems’ operational data. That information – generated from individual inputs and outputs – can then be used to optimise the ship’s performance, and to diagnose problems by analysing operations.

Despite its proven ability to give the crew control and visibility into their systems, effectively unlocking new options for hybridisation, automation has historically been overlooked in the industry. Consequently, vessels’ automation systems – which must interface with hybrid systems – are a mix of software and hardware from various suppliers and eras, preventing crew from solving issues, getting the most out of their systems or, in some instances, using certain systems at all.

Often, automation is a barrier to owners to choose and use the hybrid components that they want and to develop a cost-effective hybrid solution that meets the needs of their vessel. Shipowners and operators installing hybrid solutions may feel confident about selecting components that they believe will operate in tandem with their vessel’s battery. However, they commonly struggle when it comes to integrating different technology to create a fully functioning, control system that powers the ship.

If we take building a PC as an analogy, someone will pick their preferred sound card, motherboard, processor, memory and storage. But without the required insight, the individual won’t know whether they have the right systems in place to maximise performance. The same applies to vessels that require a range of systems all working in synch with one another to generate propulsion. This approach can unlock capex savings as it enables owners to buy equipment directly from suppliers rather than third parties.

This is where we come in. We are experts in assessing whether the bespoke set up of systems on a vessel will work seamlessly together, and can recommend – then install and integrate – the right elements, keeping the costs to a minimum by purchasing components directly.

Høglund specialises in selecting and adapting the right software for enhanced control and functionality of the ship’s battery, fuel cells and DC grid convertor within a specific energy management system. In several of our current projects, such as for the six 5350-dwt 1A ice class hybrid bulk vessels built at Chowgule Shipyard in India or two Tipco asphalt carriers built in Wuhu shipyard, China, we work with partners to find the right system design and hardware, and deliver a customized automation and control system, to take the full advantage of the hybrid power on board.

As Soren Skou, CEO of shipping giant A.P Moller-Maersk, pointed out when speaking to media in January 2022, the capital needed to decarbonise the maritime industry over the coming years will be significant. But shipping companies can avoid overspending by using Høglund, an integrated automation expert that understands how hybrid-electric technology may, or may not, complement the other systems on board. The alternative is to risk wasting huge sums on green tech that isn’t optimal, reducing its environmental impact or even making it ineffective when it comes to reducing emissions.