Not If, But When

Not If, But When

Using Electricity to Move Boats Ken Carrasco Orcas Island, WA

Vice-chair, San Juan County MRC Chair, Alternative Technologies Subcommittee Commissioner, Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Commission Member, Board of Directors, Friends of the San Juans Volunteer responder, Island Oil Spill Association (IOSA)

Northwest Straits Commission January 2018 1

I have no direct or indirect financial involvement with this industry

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U.S. Coast Guard polar icebreaker USCGC Staten Island 3

Shellfish biologist, Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game

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Research on the Valdez oil spill, ‘89 and ‘90

Exxon Valdez

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Reducing or eliminating petroleum on the water can help with:

- climate change - immediate & local air quality - oil pollution of waters - ocean acidification - global geopolitics - more reliable & efficient boats. 6

Inefficiency of internal combustion engines Fuel Energy (gasoline)

Losses:

Power Train Output

Friction Pumping

Heat (exhaust)

Heat (cooling)

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LEAF after a 20-mile trip to town: - No exhaust, motor cool

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Power Curves: electric vs. ICE [power (the rate of doing work) is dependent on both RPM and torque]

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1. HUGE difference in torque in electric versus diesels, especially at low speed s2. Single optimum RPM for each ICE; why single-speed generators are most efficient 9

Intentional inefficiency of ICE in boats Because of low torque at low speeds, ICE boats are equipped with inefficient propellers with small, fast-turning blades.

Most efficient thrust: Large blades, low RPM

Pure Watercraft Seattle, WA

(Note fuel on the water) 10

Diesel truck versus all-electric LEAF Identical 60 mile round trip to town (near Acme to Bellingham & return) Truck: 18 mpg Diesel 3.09/gallon 3.33 gallons burned = $10.30

LEAF: 3.4 miles/kWh mpg “Green” elec = .12/kWh 17.6 kWh used= $2.12

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Fossil fuel only comes from fossil fuels But electricity can come from many sources

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Electricity allows for innovative propulsion

Rolls Royce Azimuthing permanent magnet thruster

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Typical marinized gasoline automobile engine

- Many vulnerable moving parts - Salt water - Vibration - Heat - Lingering corrodible materials - Difficult access for repairs 14

Take-homes for me…. 1) Electric technology is now practical. 2) Electric propulsion can enhance your boating experience, protect the local ecosystem, and is a step to global health. 3) Not just “green”, but good business. 4) Other parts of the world – i.e. Europe – are waaaay ahead of us.

Candidate Vessels for Electric Propulsion • • • • • • • • •

Large cargo and passenger vessels; super yachts Passenger and car ferries (Washington State) Tugboats Warships Passenger boats (whale watching, OSV) Medium-sized fishing boats (trollers, etc.) Recreational powerboats Sailboats Outboard motors

Benefits of electric power

• Fewer air & water emissions (AND remember that boats don’t use catalytic converters…) • Quieter, less vibration, less heat • Reliable, simpler, much less maintenance, longevity of equipment • Smaller unit needed because of immediate 100% torque • Saves fuel (more efficient method; simpler systems; much shorter warm-up and break-in periods) • Future-proof; emissions & fuel costs

Boat equipped with typical internal combustion engine

ICE

t

propeller shaft

ICE = Internal Combustion Engine t = reduction gear and transmission

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“Parallel” electrical propulsion system (hybrid)

battery

ICE

t

motor Shore/wind/solar

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“Parallel” electrical propulsion system (hybrid) (WW II submarines)

Battery

ICE

t

PTI

Motor Shore/wind/solar

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“Serial” electrical propulsion system - Motor drives propeller, with maximum torque and response. - Energy for motor comes from stored energy in battery, which holds energy from off-boat or the generator. - In sailboats, spinning of propeller while under sail generates electricity for battery storage.-

ICE

Battery

generator

regen (sail)

motor

Shore/wind/solar 23

Greenline Hybrid (Slovenia) 33’ pleasure craft

Under battery: 7 knots for 4 hours With generator: 18 knots recharges battery in 2 hours

Greenline Hybrid (Slovenia) BOW Battery

Shaft to prop

Electric Motor

Generator (ICE)

70’ Greenline Hybrid Yacht

Retrofit serial electric, Torqueedo

Lithium battery (BMW i3)

Electric motor

Issues • Safety

– Lingering distrust of lithium-ion batteries (next slide) – “electric shock drowning”

• • • • • •

Access to shore power Parts and dealer/customer/industry acceptance Battery life, degradation ? “It’s quiet . . . too quiet.” First responder training Regulatory (maybe) 28

Are electric cars more dangerous than ICE? ICE vehicle safety (National Fire Protection Association)

In 2003-2007, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 287,000 vehicle fires per year (averaging 33 per hour).

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Delta, B.C.

ESS Battery Monitoring

INPUTS

OUTPUTS Cell

Temperatures Charge/ discharge current limits

Battery Management System

Cell Voltages

Current (amps)

To Ship

Safety Disconnect 30

Delta, B.C.

All lithium batteries are NOT created equal

ESS (Energy Storage System) batteries

Cell phone batteries

• Consumer electronics • Safety systems: – Battery management system

• Industrial grade • Quality materials & assembly • Safety systems: – Advanced battery management systems – Anti-propagation measures – Hazardous gas venting 31

Outboards 2017 prices

Torqueedo 80 (replaces 80 hp) ~$24,000

Tor

Elco “9.9 hp” ~ $2,910

Golden Motor Canada 10 hp, ~$4,037 CAD

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Carolyn Dorothy, a hybrid, Foss Tugs

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Enhydra, 128-foot hybrid-electric 600-passenger vessel being built for the Red and White Fleet in San Francisco; anticipated delivery 2018

Hybrid system with generator, control system, and AC electric traction motor. Torque is immediately available for the propeller and the speed can be precisely controlled without the need for a reduction gear. The hybrid system will also use battery power from two 80 kWh Corvus lithium-ion battery packs.

Photo: All American Marine Bellingham, WA

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What next? Would appreciate suggestions for articles or presentations

Ken Carrasco [email protected]

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