The German shipping company Norden-Frisia has launched the »Frisia E-1«, an emission-free, almost silent electric ferry that will transport passengers from Norddeich to the North Sea island of Norderney. According to the shipping company, it is powered by regionally generated solar power.
With a journey time of only 20 to 30 minutes, the »Frisia E-1« can accommodate 150 passengers and is considerably faster than conventional ferries. The e-catamaran can be fully charged in just 30 minutes at a rate of 1.8 megawatts. »In principle, we have completely rethought our group’s energy supply. With a large-scale PV system in our car parks and the construction of a high-performance charging park, we can operate the ferry using self-generated green electricity,« explains Olaf Weddermann, project initiator and authorised signatory of the Norden-Frisia shipping company.
A central component of the project is the intelligent load management system, which optimises the use of available solar energy. Thanks to dynamic control, electric vehicles can also be charged in the car park. When the electric catamaran docks and requires large amounts of energy at short notice, it is given priority.
»The dynamic load management system distributes the electricity currently being produced according to demand,« explains Maraike Pommer, the project manager responsible for the technical implementation on site. »While the electric ferry is charging, the charging power of the cars is automatically reduced. By using this regionally generated green electricity directly, we are largely energy self-sufficient.«
However, the energy concept goes beyond mere self-sufficiency, as a virtual balancing group connects the shipping company with other properties and operating sites that are not physically connected to the PV system. This concept was developed in close partnership with Meistro Energie from Ingolstadt.
© PHOTON
