Wind turbine power ‘world first’ for ferry
‘Stena Jutlandica’ seen here fitted with two wind turbines on her foredeck
Stena Line claims that its passenger ferry ‘Stena Jutlandica’ is the first to be equipped with wind turbines which will contribute to the company’s environmental efforts by both supplying energy and reducing fuel consumption.
“Within our energy saving programme, we are currently pursuing 200 environment improvement projects and this is yet another very interesting project. Stena Line has a tradition of leading when it comes to the development of different types of new solutions,” says Stena Line director Robert Akerlund.
The solution is based on two turbines that will be mounted on 4m high masts on the prow of the ship. The two 4kW turbines will produce current for the ship’s electricity grid and, since they are placed on the prow, they will also contribute to a reduction in the air resistance.
“The two turbines will generate about 23,000kWh per year, equivalent to the domestic electricity consumption for four normal homes during one year. Among other things, the electricity will be used to power the lighting on the Jutlandica's car deck,” says Akerlund.
The reduced air resistance at sea will result in a reduction in fuel consumption of between 80 and 90 tonnes/year. “This can be compared to the consumption of oil for heating 28 homes during one year,” Akerlund says.
Stena Line's operations in Scandinavia are already environmentally certified according to ISO 14001. There is electricity connection for all ships in Gothenburg and, during recent years, a number of environmental improvement measures have been implemented that have resulted in either reduced energy consumption or lower fuel consumption.Images for this article - click to enlarge
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