Norway's wealth of hydropower is a key element of Equinor's emissions reduction plan. About 98% of Norway’s electricity is supplied by hydropower and Equinor will rely on that when its offshore supply vessels plug into local grids for shore power or its hybrid battery vessels recharge while at berth.
Currently, 13 supply vessels on long-term contracts with Equinor have installed shore power systems, and another five vessels are set to be added this year.
NorSea Group opened a shore-to-ship power supply station on 18 January at the Dusavik supply base in Stavanger, Norway. This base is the latest supply base where vessels on contract with Equinor can use shore power while at berth to charge their onboard batteries. Other shore-to-ship power supply stations have been installed at the supply bases at Mongstad in Hordaland; Florø, in Sogn og Fjordane; Kristiansund, in Møre og Romsdal; and Hammerfest in Finnmark during the past year.
Philippe F Mathieu, head of Equinor’s joint operations support cluster said "Suppliers must be team players if we are to cut emissions. We influence operations by our management of day-to-day activities commercially by rewarding low emissions in contracts and strategically by supporting a business that utilises vessels, vehicles and helicopters in a proper way”.
Since 2011, Equinor has cut its total annual carbon emissions from logistical operations – including helicopters and vessels used for supply, emergency response, rig moves and storage – by 37% overall, from 465,000 to 292,000 tonnes, or when adjusted for reduced activity, by 26%.
“We have an ambition of moving all vessels on long-term contract with us to shore power,” Mr Mathieu said, “because we have seen that it is an efficient tool for reducing emissions. We note that shipowners, crews, base companies and authorities are strongly committed and willing to prepare for operation and infrastructure that will help reduce emissions”.
Equinor has also introduced requirements in its long-term contracts stating that vessels must be fitted with hybrid battery systems and shore power connections.
A key funding mechanism for shipowners looking to adapt their vessels to hybrid battery operation and shore power supply will be the Norwegian NOx fund, which provides financial support for cutting ship emissions and investing in green technology.
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