Wattlab Scales Up Solar Power for Bulkers

Following successful pilot projects and the first full-scale installation on a seagoing vessel, the Vertom Tula, Wattlab is now taking the next step: scaling its Solar Flatrack solution towards the international bulk shipping market.

Currently, Solar Flatracks can be deployed on vessels up to and including the Supramax segment. In parallel, Wattlab has started the development of seaworthy solar solutions for Panamax and even Capesize bulk carriers.

Wattlab, a specialist in solar power for shipping, has demonstrated through the successful application of its Solar Flatrack system on seagoing vessels that solar energy can be a practical and scalable part of onboard energy supply - particularly for the vessel’s hotel load.

After two pilot projects and a first full-scale installation on a coaster, the results confirm that the system performs reliably at sea and directly contributes to fuel savings and emission reductions.

In collaboration with TNO and shipping company Vertom, the system was tested on the Vertom Anette. The insights gained were subsequently applied to the Vertom Tula, where 44 Solar Flatracks reduce approximately 20% of the onboard hotel load. The project was co-financed by the European Union’s Just Transition Fund (JTF), part of the European Green Deal towards climate neutrality