Energy management strategies for a zero-emission hybrid domestic ferry

Abstract

The paper presents three approaches for the sizing and control of a maritime hybrid power-plant equipped with proton exchange membrane fuel cells and batteries. The study focuses on three different power-plant configurations, including the energy management strategy and the power-plant component sizing. The components sizing is performed following the definition of the energy management strategy using the sequential optimization approach. These configurations are tested using a dynamic model developed in Simulink. The simulations are carried out to validate the technical feasibility of each configuration for maritime use. Each energy management strategy is developed to allow for the optimization of a chosen set of parameters, such as hydrogen consumption and fuel cell degradation. It is observed that in the hybrid power-plant optimization there are always trade-offs, and the optimization should be carried out by prioritizing primary factors the ship owner considers most important for day-to-day operations.