Variable-Speed Engines on Wind Farm Support Vessels

We examine the fuel savings of Edda Passat, a newly constructed wind farm support vessel that utilizes a common direct current (DC) grid. This enables its diesel engines to operate at variable speeds by using frequency converter technology. A detailed investigation of these benefits has been performed based on real-life measurements from three months of operations in the Race Bank wind farm off the east coast of England. The calculated fuel savings of Edda Passat achieved via its variable-speed engines are 21% lower compared to using a conventional alternating current (AC) grid with a fixed frequency. This paper will explain the technology, measurements, and results in detail.