Integrated Rigid Sail & Solar Power System | Zero Emissions | Patented Technologies
Rigid sail & solar power technologies to reduce fuel consumption and ship emissions
World shipping is a major source of airborne pollution and greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) as the movement of seaborne trade across the world requires vast amounts of bunker oil and other fossil fuels to be consumed by ships of all sizes. But as more focus is placed upon reducing CO2 emissions and living in a more sustainable way, it is clear that changes will have to be made to the propulsion and power systems on-board modern vessels.
Impression of Aquarius MRE on TankerWind power and solar energy are already popular sources of clean renewable energy on land, so Eco Marine Power is working with a number of development partners on an international project to develop Aquarius MRE® (Marine Renewable Energy) - a system which will allow ships to be powered in a greener and more eco-friendly way by using these limitless sources of energy.
Aquarius MRE can be incorporated into existing ship designs or be integrated into future designs such as the Aquarius Eco Ship concept which is also being developed by Eco Marine Power.
The patented Aquarius MRE is an advanced integrated system of rigid sails, marine-grade solar panels, energy storage modules, charging system and marine computers that enables ships to tap into renewable energy by harnessing the power provided by the wind and sun. The array of rigid sails are automatically positioned by a computer system to best suit the prevailing weather conditions and can be lowered and stored when not in use or in bad weather.
The rigid sails are based on EMP's EnergySail® technology and these renewable energy devices can even be used when a ship is at anchor or in harbour. Each EnergySail can be configured with a mix of sensors, photovoltaic panels or other power generation devices. Clearly the EnergySail is unlike any other sail.
Reduced Fossil Fuel Consumption and Less Noxious Gas Emissions
Pathway to Zero Emission Shipping within the Circular Global Economy
Aquarius MRE will significantly reduce a ships fuel consumption and noxious gas emissions. In addition ship owners and operators will be able to reduce the CO2 footprint of their fleet and employ the solution on a variety of ship and vessel types.
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| EnergySail Test Station at Teramoto Iron Works |
When a ship is at anchor or in port, batteries approved for use on marine vessels can provide an alternative source of power - thereby reducing the fuel used by auxiliary generators. In certain situations it will also be possible for a ship to operate emission free when in port which will become an increasingly important capability as port authorities implement strict airborne emission control regulations.
Aquarius MRE is designed for ships that operate at sea and is not a solution that has been designed for small small vessels and simply scaled up. Ships that operate at sea differ in design from smaller vessels that operate on bays and on harbours, therefore a wind & solar power system for ocean going ships has to be one that is designed for that purpose. Aquarius MRE is that type of solution.
Although this cutting-edge system is being initially designed for large ships, much of the technology being developed will also be suitable for smaller vessels such as coastal freighters, small passenger ferries, tourist boats and unmanned surface vessels (USV's). Elements of the system are also suitable for offshore marine use and for land-based renewable energy projects.
A study is also being conducted to determine if it would be feasible to use the system on naval and government vessels such as patrol ships and marine survey vessels.
Aquarius Integrated Management SystemKey features of Aquarius MRE include patented technology, ease of use, robust design, fully automated control system, attractive Return on Investment (ROI) and reliable operation.
The automated management system or Aquarius IMS manages all elements of Aquarius MRE including the EnergySail's, energy storage modules & charging equipment. It can also interface with other systems on the ship including fuel flow meters and electrical equipment.
Aquarius MRE by Eco Marine Power is an innovative approach to using wind and solar power together on ships and the technology will help reduce fossil fuel consumption and noxious emissions across the shipping sector. It will also be a key technology in terms of helping to de-carbonize shipping.
For more about the thinking behind Aquarius MRE and our approach to alternative propulsion and power systems for ships please read: A Marine Renewable Energy Solution for Modern Ships.
Innovation & Co-Operation
The development of the system includes the development of a computer system and a control system architecture to integrate the Aquarius MRE with other equipment and systems on-board ships. The development project also involves a number of companies working as strategic partners with Eco Marine Power including KEI System, Teramoto Iron Works & The Furukawa Battery Company.
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| Teramoto Iron Works (Onomichi, Japan) - Authorized manufacturer of EnergySail and test center for Aquarius MRE. Also manufacturer of marine grade solar panel frames and battery frames for marine batteries. |
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| KEI System (Osaka, Japan) - Co-developer of EnergySail Automated Control System (ACS) and supplier of marine computer systems including data loggers. |
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| The Furukawa Battery Company (Yokohama, Japan) - Manufacturer of marine batteries and energy storage. Batteries approved for use on ships include the Ultra Battery and Furukawa Cycle Power series. |
Further Information
See: Aquarius MRE FAQ
Aquarius MRE (Patented) & EnergySail (Patented) are registered trademarks of Eco Marine Power Co. Ltd.
Aquarius Eco ShipTM concept design by Greg Atkinson (Eco Marine Power) All Rights Reserved.
