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GE Allows Seamless And Secure Energy Feed From Shore To Ship In Port

As an official media partner of Greenbuild International Conference & Expo 2015, we are dedicated to sharing the latest green news from all industry sectors. General Electric and Cegelec have recently signed a contract to work together in an effort to supply safe, reliable and highly efficient power to French naval ships while in port.

Here are some highlights:

  • GE’s static power solution allows a more efficient and secured conversion of energy to feed French naval vessels directly from the local grid
  • Low harmonics level ensures high-power, quality and clean energy, building a more resilient grid network
  • Technology brings flexibility and potential as extra power capacity can be easily implemented if needed in the future

Brest, France – GE Energy Management has signed a contract with French electrical engineering company Cegelec in Brittany, France to supply a complete static power solution for the French Navy. The solution will use GE’s advanced Static Frequency Converters (SFCs) technology to provide high conversion efficiency and a safe and reliable power transfer from the electric power grid to the French naval vessels while in port.

“To keep vessels charged fast and on time, the French Navy requires a reliable and stable supply of electricity. GE’s converter technology allows an efficient and secured transition of energy,” says Thierry Bideau, Lead Engineer, Cegelec. “It is exciting to work with GE to see how this innovation brings value and benefits achieved together that improves the efficiency and reliability of power conversion.”

The public grid in France operates on a frequency of 50Hz and must be converted for use of electrical systems on board of French naval vessels, which can function on different frequencies according to the type of ship. GE’s power solution has very low harmonics levels, ensuring high power quality. This clean electricity helps avoid disturbance on the transmission line, which could create network faults and energy losses. In fact, the conditions of coupling a vessel to the onshore grid are critical and it is necessary to ensure that during these operations the power demand does not lead to the destabilization of the grid upstream. This power demand must be gradual, controlled and synchronized through “intelligent” automation.

Modular design allows a smaller footprint and is therefore highly flexible during installation and also allows for future power upgrades. The compact design also means higher power density of the equipment, ensuring the conversion of electricity in a more efficient, secured and reliable manner.

GE’s SFC allows several loads, meaning several ships can be charged at the same time. Each converter can hold an overload of 150% for a short period, leaving enough time for the automatic coupling of a supplementary SFC. This means that when a new ship is charged, the immediate increased load will not disturb other ships that are already charging, allowing the smooth operation without load impact.

“Our system was designed based on our extensive expertise in the power quality sector,” said Didier Dupont, Sales Manager, GE Power Conversion. “But what makes this project even more exciting is the possibility of seamless future expansion. We can adapt and optimize the Harmonic Filter upstream to the converter frequency according to the grid evolution, allowing easy implementation of extra power capacity if needed in the future, all while keeping the benefit of a simple installation.”

A special storage device and smart control are also being developed to provide reliable energy supply when micro cuts occur, ensuring continuation of the power supply. GE’s smart management during events of micro-cuts is proven to be able to avoid tripping clients’ installations several times per year.

Apart from supply of the equipment, GE’s Power Conversion business will also take responsibility of equipment design, commissioning, testing and training. A local service team will support the customer whenever needed.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) imagines things others don’t, builds things others can’t and delivers outcomes that make the world work better. GE brings together the physical and digital worlds in ways no other company can. In its labs and factories and on the ground with customers, GE is inventing the next industrial era to move, power, build and cure the world.

GE Energy Management provides customers with electrical solutions that enable local utilities and energy-intensive industries to more efficiently manage electricity from the point of generation to consumption. GE’s Power Conversion business, a business unit of GE Energy Management, applies the science and systems of power conversion to help drive the electrification of the world’s energy infrastructure by designing and delivering advanced motor, drive and control technologies that evolve today’s industrial processes for a cleaner, more productive future. Serving specialized sectors such as energy, marine, oil and gas, renewables and industry, through customized solutions and advanced technologies, GE Power Conversion partners with customers to maximize efficiency. To learn more, please visit: www.gepowerconversion.com.

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