ABB introduces CO2e Calculator for enhanced transparency on emissions

(Posted on 07/12/23)

ABB has launched a new digital tool allowing shipowners, operators and designers to estimate the emission-reduction impact of various ABB technologies used on board ships when compared to alternative solutions and in scenarios specified by the user.

The CO2e (carbon dioxide-equivalent) Calculator is applicable to five ABB solutions for the maritime industry – Azipod® electric propulsion, energy storage, Onboard DC Grid™ power system platform, shaft generator, and shore connection – highlighting their potential to support the shipping industry’s decarbonization objectives in line with targets set out by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

For Azipod propulsion, the CO2e Calculator demonstrates the estimated reductions in CO2e emissions that result from powering a vessel with Azipod® propulsors rather than with a traditional shaftline system. It covers typical scenarios for cruise ships, yachts, ferries, offshore support vessels, and potentially other vessel types with similar operational profiles.

When applied to ABB’s energy storage system, the tool shows the emissions reductions a vessel can achieve using batteries charged from the shoreside grid in place of a conventional co

mbustion engine running on fossil fuels.

For Onboard DC Grid, it shows the estimated emission-reduction benefit of the solution’s variable-speed function for internal combustion engines compared to a fixed-speed function.

For an ABB shaft generator, the CO2e Calculator estimates how much a shaft generator installed on the main engine shaft can reduce emissions when compared to auxiliary engines driven by the auxiliary generator.

Finally, for ABB shore connection, the tool calculates the estimated reduction in emissions that can be achieved by drawing from the shoreside utility grid instead of generating electric power using onboard generators.

“ABB has a long history of developing energy-efficient solutions for the maritime industry, and now we can demonstrate the tangible emission-reduction impact of those products to our customers,” said Tommi Lempiäinen, Head of Strategy and Sustainability, ABB Marine & Ports. “With this level of transparency, shipowners are empowered to make informed decisions on which solutions to invest in – calculated for the specific scenario in question. This is a small but nonetheless significant step within the framework of our broader commitment to driving maritime decarbonization in accordance with the IMO’s net-zero ambitions.”