Dutch maritime solar innovator Wattlab has secured a contract with Norwegian shipping company Berge Rederi to install its onboard solar energy system on what is expected to be the world’s largest battery-powered bulk carrier.
Under the contract, Wattlab will outfit Berge Rederi’s BRF Froan with the 96 Solar Flatracks, providing the vessel with a solar energy system producing 172,8 kWp.
The vessel is currently under construction and is scheduled to sail to Norway next summer. At a stopover in Flushing, the Netherlands, Wattlab will install the 96 Solar Flatracks in one day. Production will start in May at the company’s new production facility in the port of Rotterdam.
Once delivered, BRF Froan will transport marble from Brønnøy and Visnes to a production plant in Elnesvågen.
In addition to Wattlab’s solar system, Berge Rederi’s newbuild will feature two 24m x 4m rotor sails, saving an average of 339 kW per voyage.
The 23,5 MWh battery package will be charged at the loading port in Remman (Brønnøy) and the discharging port in Elnesvågen. Shore power facilities will be installed in both ports. Additionally, the ship is fitted with an electric excavator to ensure emission-free cargo operations.
Bo Salet , Co-Founder and CEO of Wattlab, commented: “First of all, we thank Berge Rederi for trusting our system – and us. It is an honour that with our second seagoing project, we, as a scale-up, can be a part of such an innovative vessel as the BRF Froan. In addition, this proves that both in the Netherlands and internationally there is a real demand for solar energy in shipping. It also shows that our tested and proven technology is ready to be deployed at scale.
“For shipowners, time is money. Fast installation is crucial. Thanks to the smart design installing the system is simple, fast, and flexible. Should the need arise to clear the deck for special cargo, the Solar Flatracks can easily be stacked on the footprint of a 20 ft container.”
The latest contract comes on the heels of Wattlab’s recent milestone , the world’s first installation of a solar energy system on a seagoing ship.