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    Siemens Energy will deliver Diesel-Electric Propulsion & Batteries to reduce emissions from NOAA Vessels

    Nov. 24, 2021
    The ships will be equipped with advanced diesel-electric propulsion systems and the BlueVault Battery Storage Solutions
    Noaa Ship 619e80151103d

    The Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors have awarded Siemens Energy a contract to equip its Oceanographer and Discoverer ships with SiSHIP Blue Drive PlusC advanced diesel-electric propulsion systems and BlueVault Battery Storage Solutions.

    The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration will acquire the two ships and use it for missions, including general oceanographic research and exploration, climate and ocean ecosystem studies, and worldwide ocean survey and data collection.

     The combination of the diesel-electric propulsion systems and the battery storage solution will help save 15,000 gallons of fuel per year for each vessel and reduce approximately 5,700 tons of CO2 emissions. It will also reduce the maintenance associated with the engines.

     TAI Engineers has worked with Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors and Siemens Energy to develop an optimal vessel design.

     Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors Managing Director Walter Thomassie said, “The NOAA NAV Variant is truly the result of an intense, collaborative effort by the Thoma-Sea Marine team ,analyzing and implementing the best solutions brought by the shipyard, our design agent (TAI), Siemens Energy, and others. As the first shipyard to install and commission the Siemens Energy Blue Drive PlusC™ advanced diesel-electric propulsion systems in the United States, Thoma-Sea immediately recognized Siemens Energy was able to optimize the system according to our specifications to further enhance the vessel’s capabilities and efficiencies.”

     The two vessels are scheduled to begin operating in 2024 and 2025, respectively. Each vessel can carry a crew of 20 and accommodate up to 28 scientists. 

    About the Author

    EnergyTech Staff

    Rod Walton is senior editor for EnergyTech.com. He has spent 14 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist.

    Walton formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    He can be reached at [email protected]. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids.

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.