Solar panels on a Saint Lawrence bulk carrier: a collaboration to accelerate innovation

Innovation Maritime and its partners are currently testing a photovoltaic station on board a bulk carrier operating in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and on the St. Lawrence River. This project, running from March 2024 to February 2027, aims to rigorously document the potential of solar panels to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from merchant vessels in a demanding northern environment.

The project involves designing, building, and installing a solar station on the deck of an in-service bulk carrier, CSL Group’s Nukumi, to measure its energy performance under real operating conditions. The objective is to assess both the potential fuel savings and the integration of solar panels into the ship’s onboard systems, in conditions that reflect the reality of a commercial vessel on the St. Lawrence.

The trials are conducted over several seasons to account for variations in weather conditions, sun angles, temperatures and exposure to salt, wind and ice. The data collected will help better understand how solar systems behave in a marine environment under significant climatic stress.

By supporting this initiative, Green Marine recognizes the project’s direct contribution to decarbonizing maritime transport. Installing solar panels on board is intended to reduce the vessel's operational carbon footprint by lowering generator load, while improving the vessel’s overall energy efficiency.

The chosen approach is deliberately pragmatic: rather than a lab-based demonstrator, the photovoltaic station is tested on an in-service bulk carrier, with all the associated constraints and unforeseen events. This real-world trial is expected to generate results that can be directly used by ship owners wishing to integrate more renewable energy solutions on board their vessels.

An independent organization specializing in applied research for the maritime sector, Innovation Maritime is coordinating the project and overseeing the deployment of the experimental setup at sea. The team is working closely with CSL, solar technology providers, and energy experts to select, integrate and instrument the solar panels.

The lessons learned from this demonstrator will provide better documentation of the performance, durability and maintenance challenges of solar panels installed on a bulk carrier, including resistance to vibrations, corrosion and thermal shocks. These data are essential for adapting system sizing, optimizing performance, and developing practical recommendations for possible wider deployment.

In the longer term, the project’s results could help remove technological barriers and facilitate the integration of solar solutions, either on their own or combined with other technologies (rigid sails, wind-assisted propulsion, batteries), into ship owners’ decarbonization strategies.

📷_{: CSL Group website}