Wärtsilä's onboard carbon capture pilot shows CO2 reductions up to 70%

source: Wartsila

Wärtsilä installed its CCS technology onboard Solvang’s 21,289-m3 ethylene carrier Clipper Eris for a year’s full-scale testing and optimisation in January 2025.

After around three months of real-world tests, Wärtsilä is planning to bring its onboard carbon capture system to market.

Wärtsilä's been developing onboard carbon capture technology since 2019 and currently operates a research centre and test facility in Moss, Norway, that is capturing 10 tonnes of CO2 per day from a Wärtsilä marine engine in tests. 

The lab tests are now supported by a full-scale installation on board Clipper Eris, and Wärtsilä said the work has proven the new system has the capability to reduce a vessel’s CO2 emissions by up to 70%. Wärtsilä also estimates its carbon capture system would cost between €50-€70 (US$54-US$76) for each megatonne of CO2 captured, inclusive of capital and operating costs for the system.

Singapore’s Seatrium was contracted in early 2024 to supply the basic design, detailed engineering, procurement, upgrading electrical and automation systems, and integrating the 7-MW carbon capture, compression and storage system.

Seatrium has also been contracted to retrofit a Filtree OCCS from Value Maritime on Mitsui OSK Lines’ LR 1 product tanker Nexus Victoria.

Clipper Eris was in drydock in Singapore for its retrofit, and the vessel began its year-long trial of the technology from Seatrium Admiralty Yard in January. Solvang, which received funding from ENOVA SF to kickstart the pilot in 2023, is a firm believer in onboard carbon capture and storage (OCCS) technology. The pilot programme’s success means there could be potential additional installations of the technology in Solvang’s gas carrier fleet. The shipowner has seven new vessels under construction, all designed and ready OCCS technology to be installed.

Wärtsilä said it has different scaleable sizes and configurations ready for its carbon capture system to suit various vessel types and operator needs, both on newbuildings and retrofits.

"Wärtsilä’s CCS can be applied to the exhaust from any carbon-based fuel – such as HFO, methanol, LNG and MGO – and is designed to work alongside other emissions-reduction technologies, including SOx scrubbers, NOx reduction systems, and particulate matter filters. As part of Wärtsilä’s broader portfolio, CCS can be integrated with other decarbonisation technologies and services," the company said.

OCCS is seen as a potential bridging technology to reduce CO2 emissions to help meet IMO greenhouse gas reduction targets and decarbonisation goals while shipping awaits the widespread production and availability of low-and zero-carbon alternative fuels – which appear to be years away. OCCS could be a solution to allow existing ships – difficult and expensive to convert for alternative fuel use – to lower CO2 emissions.

"CCS is a game-changer for the maritime industry, and we are already seeing huge interest in the market for this solution. Ahead of shipping’s net-zero targets, this new technology complements the industry’s ongoing efforts to dramatically reduce emissions from vessels and prevent stranded assets," according to Wärtsilä president and chief executive Håkan Agnevall.

source: Riviera News