Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution demonstration project

Project Information

RotorDEMO

Grant agreement ID: 738282

DOI

10.3030/738282

Project closed

EC signature date 21 October 2016

Start date 1 January 2017

End date 31 December 2018

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 2 677 467,25

EU contribution

€ 1 581 256,00

Coordinated by

NORSEPOWER OY LTD
Finland

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - RotorDEMO (Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution demonstration project)

Reporting period: 2018-01-01 to 2018-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution enhances the complete propulsion system of a vessel by using wind as an auxiliary propulsion measure. The patented turnkey solution, which is based on the Magnus effect, offers auxiliary wind propulsion for freight vessels, requires no additional crew to operate the Rotor Sails, and is suitable for retrofitting to over 20 000 vessels in the global merchant fleet. The system enhances energy efficiency, and reduces emissions and pollution. Norsepower Rotor Sails are developed to be an affordable off-the-shelf product to be retrofitted into existing vessels or installed into new-build vessels.

The main objective of the RotorDEMO project, which was reached in April 2018, was implementation of Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution in full scale on board the Viking Grace cruise ferry to boost sales of the solution. Other objectives were performance validation and type approval of the technology and update of Norsepower’s commercialization plan based on the findings. All objectives of the project have been reached.

At the moment there are no other commercial and proven auxiliary wind propulsion solutions available on the market. The global long-term market potential for the technology is 25 000 vessels and 30 B€. The high level of cargo vessel emissions is a big global and EU-level challenge and the maritime industry is lacking efficient retrofitting solutions helping to enhance fuel economics and to reduce emissions.

Successful full-scale demonstration of the Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution on board Viking Grace has enabled enable realizing large-scale deployment and manufacturing ramp-up of Norsepower's technology in relatively short period after this project. Norsepower is currently the global market leader in cargo vessel auxiliary wind propulsion.

As a conclusion of the project results, all objectives of the project have been reached.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

During the project, the following work has been carried out:
• WP1, “Management”, has progressed as planned, and it has been completed
• WP2, “Designing the Implementation of Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution”, has been completed, resulting in a feasible design of the Norsepower Rotor Sail installation on board Viking Grace.
• WP3, “Implementation of Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution on a RoPax vessel”, has been completed; installation of the Norsepower Rotor Sail on board Viking Grace was completed on the 12th of April 2018.
• WP4, “Piloting, performance validation and type approval”, has been completed, and according to the analysis results received so far Norsepower Rotor Sail saves large amounts of fuel.
• WP5, “Commercialization (exploitation and dissemination)”, has been completed. Successful full-scale demonstration of the Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution on board Viking Grace is expected to enable realizing large-scale deployment and manufacturing ramp-up of Norsepower's technology in relatively short period after this project.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

At the moment there are no practical auxiliary wind propulsion solutions available on the market. The global long-term market potential for Norsepower's technology is 20 000 vessels and 30 B€. The high level of cargo vessel emissions is a big global and EU-level challenge and the maritime industry is lacking efficient retrofitting solutions helping to enhance fuel economics and to reduce emissions.

Successful full-scale demonstration of the Norsepower Rotor Sail Solution on board Viking Grace has enabled realizing large-scale deployment and manufacturing ramp-up of the technology in relatively short period.

Illustration of Viking Grace with a 24x4 Norsepower Rotor Sail