Near-coastal shipping accounts for some 8% of Norway’s total emissions, so technologies such as diesel-electric hybrid propulsion systems for ferries, platform supply vessels, and heavy duty fishing vessels offer potential. “To date, we’ve targeted emission reductions by electrifying parts of the propulsion systems,” according to Øystein Ulleberg (IFE). “If you compare this to running a diesel bus in a city, the moment you hybridise it with a battery electric, your emissions go down by about 30 %. That was our initial approach in the maritime sector too”. Zero emissions solutions are emerging, such as as fully electric ferries that charge overnight and top up while unloading and loading cars and passengers. In Norway, some 20 electric ferries are in operation, under construction or have been ordered.

In this episode of EnerView, we hear from Lasse Fridstrøm, senior research economist at Institute of Transport Economics, TØI, from Gunnar S. Eskeland, professor of environmental economics at the Norwegian School of Economics, NHH and Øystein Ulleberg, principal scientist at the Renewable Energy Systems Department, Institute for Energy Technology, IFE.