Verkís leading in energy transition

IceFish 2024 exhibitor Verkís Consulting Engineers has been involved in numerous energy transition projects over the years – providing a wide range of constantly growing services.

Recognising that while the energy transition in land transportation is well underway, significant challenges lie ahead regarding energy transition at sea, the company has become a leading partner in the field; actively involved in third energy transition. In this regard, it has headed up two large-scale innovation projects focused on energy transition in maritime transport with e-fuels solutions and wind and solar energy technologies: GAMMA and WHISPER, respectively.

GAMMA (green-gamma.eu) is a €17 million, five-year energy transition project on e-fuels in maritime transport, funded by the European Union. It involves installing a new fuel system on a bulk vessel without reducing its operational capacity, and with actional demonstration tests ongoing at sea. Ammonia and biomethanol will be bunkered onboard the vessel and then converted into hydrogen. The hydrogen is then converted into electricity with a fuel cell that will power the vessel’s auxiliary generator. The energy needed to transform the hydrogen will be obtained with solar cells that will be installed on the vessel.

WHISPER (whisperenergy.eu) is a €9 million, four-year energy transition project focused on developing and testing wind and solar power solutions aboard a bulk vessel and a containership at sea. One aspect involves testing a combination of solar and wind energy technologies, where horizontal wind turbines and specially designed solar panels generate electricity for the vessels’ internal energy needs. Electric sails are also being developed to help propel the ships. The project will also work on energy storage solutions, aiming for a 30% fuel savings on retrofitted bulk vessels and up to 15% on retrofitted container ships.

Verkis explained that in GAMMA and WHISPER, it is gaining new and valuable knowledge that will increase the service elements that it offers to businesses in connection with energy transition.

In both projects Verkís is in charge of key aspects of the projects (not always the same in both projects). For instance: project management, technical project management, piping design and bunkering of e-fuels, safety and risk management for the e-fuels, aerodynamic simulations and life cycle analyses. The team is providing comprehensive services, including analysis, design, and programming of automation and monitoring systems for various applications. This service includes programming of PLC, SCADA/HMI systems, robotics, and commissioning.

In the GAMMA energy transition project, Verkís in collaboration with ship designers, will design and develop a control system for safe bunkering e-fuels from dock to ship. It will also be responsible for the engineering design of the piping system for methanol and ammonia, drawing on extensive experience and knowledge transfer from former geothermal projects.

Verkís noted that risk management is an important tool when designing a new fuel system aboard a ship, and in the GAMMA project, risk management is a key factor in decision-making regarding the placement of new e-fuel systems.

The company further explained that third energy transition isn’t just about e-fuels and new wind and solar energy solutions. It is therefore involved in a variety of projects in this field – in collaboration with numerous domestic and international partners.

In this regard, it highlighted an important aspect of the energy transition for ships and ports is shore-to-power connections. Currently most ships burn fossil fuels, but with more ports offering electric power charging stations, they can turn off their generators while docked and take an important steps toward a cleaner future. This also reduces noise pollution from the ships while they are in port, it said.

At IceFish, Verkís Consulting Engineers’ experts will be at booth E42 to discuss current and future energy transition projects.

Verkis