Chiller optimisation brings energy savings

At more than 18%, the savings achieved on board La Suprema exceeded the target of 10% and suggest that the owner will save 70MWh of power every month, adding up to annual savings of up to €77,000.

“GNV is committed to investing in modern and advanced solutions to renew on-board systems and to improve the energy performance and consumption of our fleet,” said Antonio Campagnuolo, GNV marine operations director.

“Working together with ABB helps to achieve our goal of providing an efficient and safe transport service through important investments in energy-saving solutions of our fleet,” he added.

Energy efficiency initiatives for ship operations generally focus on main propulsion, but ABB’s chiller optimisation targets the substantial hotel load required for a HVAC system on board passenger ships.

The technology draws on active monitoring on board and data processing ashore through a remote connection and only requires a local onboard controller to interface with the chiller control. Based on algorithms generated from real-time data, such as weather forecasts, active learning and 250 HVAC system variables, chiller energy use can be cut significantly without compromising on cooling capacity or indoor climate.