Application of wind energy for marine propulsion - techno-environmental assessment of kite technology

Abstract

Consulta en la Biblioteca ETSI Industriales (Riunet)

[EN] Environmental awareness has been increasing during the latest years in every field of technology. Shipping industry is not an exception, with International Marine Organisation at the from developing new regulations to cut emissions generated by vessels. This scenario of research to achieve lower emissions has seen the reborn of the most traditional source of energy for shipping industry: wind energy. In this work, kite propulsion as a wind assistance technology is studied, with the aim of assessing its feasibility to work as a device capable to decrease emissions from ships and save fuel. Thanks to previous work from Cranfield University, kite propulsion will be also compared with other wind assistance technologies: Flettner rotor and Vertical Axis Wind Turbine. Besides, the use of gas turbine for commercial applications is assessed and compared with Diesel engine as main prime mover for ships of our time. Also, a study on the gains from the installation of a Combined Cycle Gas Turbine is undertaken. Focus on this work relies on the environmental concerns, which are consequence of the use of fossil fuels, and the technical issues related to the use of wind assistance technologies on commercial ships worldwide. Results have shown that the use of wind assistance technology, kite specifically, can lead to important fuel savings and emissions reductions and these can be maximised if external conditions and performance are optimal.