It's Good News Monday!
This Monday we talk about:
World’s First All-Electric Tugboat
bp’s new “integrated energy company” strategy
Shell’s new wind/solar/hydrogen combination project
Stena going green with cooking oil-based fuel
Maersk joins global brands in Transform to Net Zero initiative
Image Credit: The Maritime Executive
Navtek Navel Technologies has delivered the first all-electric tugboat. The Zeetug, which stands for Zero Emissions Electric tug, looks to meet the growing demands for lower emissions and smaller size. It was built at Navtek parent company’s TK Tuzla Shipyard for Turkish GISAS Shipbuilding Industry. According to The Maritime Executive, “Designated a ZEETUG®-30 design for its 32 tonnes of bollard pull, Gisas Power has an overall length of 18.7 m, beam of 6.7 m, depth of 4.7 m and design draught of 3.5 m, with a service speed of 10 knots.”
The Zeetug is powered by dual 1,450-kW lithium-ion battery packs, with two cooled, redundant battery rooms. The Navtek designed Smart Tug Energy Management System (STEMS) optimizes power consumption by monitoring temperatures, motor speed, and charge levels. Updates and diagnostics can be performed remotely in mere hours. With a Navtek QCS, or quick charging station, the Zeetug comes to full charge in one hour. It’s expected that the Zeetug-30 will save “210 tonnes of CO2 emissions and nine tonnes of NOx emissions in a year.” The operating costs are 85% lower than a similar diesel tug; additional benefits include no noise, no vibrations, and no emissions. There are already 3 more electric tugs on order for 2020.
Image Credit: bp
In addition to reporting Quarter 2 results today, bp’s CEO Bernard Looney announced a strategy shift for the energy giant. In order to achieve their goal of ‘Net Zero’ emissions by 2050, they are reimagining global direction.
“Over the next 10 years, we will reshape bp as we pivot from being an international oil company focused on producing resources, to an integrated energy company focused on delivering solutions for customers – transforming from IOC to IEC.”
Each word is broken down further:
Integrated is bringing together bp’s global reach to solve increasingly complex energy problems. Integrated energy solutions will be prioritized rather than just building renewables for their own sake. Energy is the recognition of energy renewables, bio, and hydrogen as the future, while oil and gas will continue to shrink as a portion of energy used. The last part is the focus on customers over production. bp has in the past focused on the production of resources, and will shift to a focus on providing solutions for customers.
By executing on this new strategy, bp is “aiming to look very different in 10 years’ time with:
a 10-fold increase in low carbon investment by 2030 (and up to eight-fold increase by 2025);
partnerships with 10 to 15 major cities worldwide and three core industries to help them meet their own net zero goals;
20 million customer interactions every day – more than double what we have today;
around 50GW of net renewable generating capacity developed – a 20-fold increase on today’s level;
70,000 EV charging points in place, up from the 7,500 we have today.”
bp will no longer be a hydrocarbon company, instead focusing on energy solutions, continuing to fight climate change, and reduce emissions.
Image Credit: The Maritime Executive
The Royal Dutch Shell-led CrossWind consortium will be building a new offshore wind farm in the North Sea. It will consist of 70 Siemens Gamesa turbines providing 760 megawatts of power. The wind farm will contain some unusual measures to even out power, even as wind is low: “According to Shell and co-developer Eneco, the site will include a floating solar park; short-term battery storage; turbines tuned to minimize the "wake effect" that each turbine has on the units behind it; and renewable hydrogen via electrolysis.”
Shell's NortH2 initiative future plans may include supplying some of this power to a renewable hyrdrogen electrolysis plant in Rotterdam. Shell may be producing green hydrogen by 2027 if tests go well.
Image Credit: Shell
Stena Bulk AB is one of the world’s largest tanker lines. They are looking to run some ships on used cooking oil to offset pollution, having run ships like the Stena Immortal on 100% biofuel with good results. The ship went on a 10-day voyage from Rotterdam to the U.S. on GoodFuels marine biofuel. The fuel was about 30% more expensive than the regular fuel blend usually used. The fuel cost will likely be offset as part of a carbon credit plan to lower emissions. Right now, the fuel is only available in Rotterdam, and the company is looking for other places to acquire fuel.
GoodFuels is already tapped out on demand for its fuel, and is examining building a new facility that would create fuel from sawdust.
Image Credit: The Maritime Executive
Maersk and eight other companies are accelerating their plans for net zero, called Transform to Net Zero. The goal is to transform to net zero emissions by 2050 or earlier, if possible.
“…Aron Cramer, President and CEO of BSR, (Business for Social Responsibility) a global nonprofit organization focused on sustainability which will lead this initiative. ‘Our window for staying under 1.5 degrees of warming is closing, and fast. We are now in a decisive decade, in which we must urgently decarbonize the economy, if we are to stave off the worst impacts of climate change. That’s why Transform to Net Zero is so important. More than just setting a high bar for inspiration, Transform to Net Zero will provide companies with an actionable roadmap enabling them to transform their businesses to thrive in and shape a net zero economy.’”
The new transformation will require updates across the value chain. They are joining companies such as Mercedes-Benz AG, Nike, Microsoft, and Unilever on the Transform to Net Zero commitment.
Image Credit: The Maritime Executive
Smile, it’s Good News Monday! :)