Floating solar wireless power transfer system for electric ships: Design and laboratory tests

Abstract

• Designed a floating solar WPT system and novel coupling mechanism for yachts, scalable to larger vessels. • Introduced a novel robotic docking system ensuring precise alignment in dynamic maritime conditions. • Achieved 82 % WPT efficiency, even under wave-induced motion, supporting maritime decarbonization. • Tested in a wave tank to validate the system’s potential for decarbonizing maritime transport. • Proposed a grid-independent floating solar WPT system for autonomous, clean energy maritime charging. The maritime industry is under increasing pressure to decarbonise, presenting an important pathway of transforming the power systems from conventional marine fuels to electric-based. This study proposes an innovative solution to support maritime decarbonisation through the integration of a floating solar clean energy harnessing and wireless power transfer (WPT) technology for electric vessels. The paper presents the design and experimental tests of the integrated system specifically, based on a model of an electric yacht. This study provides an in-depth analysis of application of floating solar to provides an off-grid wireless power transfer system that can scale for larger vessels such as ferries. The off-grid modularity proposed enables scalable, flexible, and sustainable energy delivery for maritime applications and decarbonisation with specific attention to challenges in WPT alignment and environmental condition. Simulations using ANSYS Maxwell were performed to model the magnetic field interactions and ascertain the optimal power transfer efficiency. Subsequently, a reduced-scale prototype system was designed, built and tested in a wave tank. The experimental results demonstrated efficient wireless charging with an average efficiency of 82 %, and the docking system proved effective in maintaining alignment even when the ship has wave-induced motions. The findings support the feasibility of using floating solar WPT systems for maritime vessels and pave the way to larger-scale studies.