La Spezia, 13 April 2023_Baglietto, the historic Italian boat builder based in La Spezia, a true icon of international yachting, held a conference yesterday, entitled \u201cBzero \u2013 Working for an evolving future\u201d to outline the shipyard\u2019s progress in the field of new sustainable energy sources for the naval sector in today\u2019s constantly evolving and ever-changing world. Bzero, the first \u2018B\u2019 in Baglietto\u2019s system of values (in addition to the other 8Bs: Bold, Boutique, Balance, Borderless, Brave, Background, Brilliant, Beauty) and perhaps the most important one, represents the Company\u2019s strong and firm commitment to achieving zero emissions. <\/p>\n
The event was attended by the highest provincial and municipal authorities and representatives of the armed forces, the Italian and international press, as well as students of La Spezia\u2019s Nautical School and Bachelor\u2019s Degree course in Pleasure Craft Engineering. The opening lecture was by Giancarlo Orsini, an expert in innovation and technology and a leading figure in the training sector for over 26 years. Mr Orsini provided an insight in the current \u2018mega-trends\u2019 \u2013 the scenarios of change facing today\u2019s society \u2013 and explained why being aware of them is essential in order to be able to seize the opportunities they offer. <\/p>\n
The Bzero (B RAISED TO ZERO) project, which had been presented as a preview last year in Monaco, is based on the use of green hydrogen as a new energy source. The system prototype is now being developed, and an identical, though smaller-scale, one will then be installed on Baglietto yachts over 50 m in length. The prototype will be used to develop operation procedures, optimise technical solutions, and obtain the certifications required to use the system on board yachts and refill the tanks, either independently, or from an external source (making up for the lack of infrastructure in the former case and reducing refuelling time in the latter). The power station also partially contributes to the shipyard\u2019s energy production cycle, thereby becoming part of an integrated virtuous system. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe Bzero project \u2013 comments Baglietto\u2019s CEO Diego Michele Deprati \u2013 once more testifies to Baglietto\u2019s pioneering approach, our strong commitment to greener and increasingly sustainable yachting, and our active role in the ongoing inescapable energy transition process. The BZero Power Station presented yesterday \u2013 continues Deprati \u2013 is the promise we have delivered on. For almost 170 years Baglietto has been a synonym with cutting edge solutions, technology innovation, and progress. This is why we have strived to go even beyond and actively contribute to the wellbeing of our seas and the environment and to truly green and sustainable yachting, which for us is an imperative goal. In 1874 Jules Verne wrote: \u2018[I believe that] water will one day be employed as fuel, that hydrogen and oxygen which constitute it, used singly or together, will furnish an inexhaustible source of heat and light [\u2026]\u2019. Now is the time. At Baglietto \u2013 continues Deprati \u2013 we have set up a department, Baglietto Energy, specifically devoted to studying new eco-sustainable technology and the implementation of alternative energy sources in the boating industry. The BZERO Project is an important starting point, but also the \u2018gate\u2019 to the great challenge of the future, a challenge that involves knowledge, a deep sense of responsibility, humility, ambition and determination, and respect for the sea \u2013 all values that are epitomised by every single Baglietto yacht\u201d. <\/p>\n
The system has also a great sales potential, as pointed out by Baglietto\u2019s Sales Director Fabio Ermetto: \u201cThe BZero project is an important journey into future knowledge. Indeed, yachts equipped with this technology can be expected to produce zero emissions up to 75 h at anchor and have a range of up to 20 nautical miles at a speed of 7 knots. The combination of hydrogen and batteries will result in 4 times more available energy than that ensured by current batteries, which will also mean great savings for the Owners\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe project, whose primary objective is to increase the cruising range of the boat in the electric, zero-emission, navigation mode,\u201d adds Alessandro Balzi, Director of the shipyard\u2019s Energy Department, \u201cis based on the installation of hydrogen fuel cell technology on a hybrid or diesel-electric platform on board Baglietto yachts. The special storage system \u2013 continues Balzi \u2013 allows to trap hydrogen, which by nature takes up large volumes, in metal hydrides, thereby making it possible to store it in the solid form and at low pressure\u201d.<\/p>\n
Together with project leader Baglietto, 6 international partners are taking part in the project, all of them having design and development teams based in Italy: ARCO TECHNOLOGIES, BLUENERGY REVOLUTION, ENAPTER, H2BOAT, and SIEMENS ENERGY, as well as RINA as the certifying body across all project stages.<\/p>\n
Besides RINA as the main partner, technical sponsors of the event were AutroItalia, Methydor, Precision Fluid Control, and Tempco.<\/p>\n
THE BZero SYSTEM
\nThe BZero system is based upon a hydrogen production module which uses filtered and deionised sea water to produce hydrogen with 5.0 purity grade at a maximum pressure of 35 bar thanks to AEM-type electrolysers, developing an overall power of approx. 55 kW. Electrolysers are primarily powered by energy from renewable sources (solar panels) and\/or the shore power grid, so as to produce as much \u2018green\u2019 hydrogen as possible. The hydrogen thus produced is then stored in the solid state inside metal hydride cylinders (MH storage) at low pressure (35 bar, compatible with storage) and room temperature. The process of storing and releasing the hydrogen from the hydrides is managed by a \u2018thermal management\u2019 system allowing to heat up (during hydrogen discharge) and cool down (during charging) the metal hydrides. The thermal energy required comes from the heat produced by the PEM-type fuel cell module (approx. 200kW), which uses hydrogen as fuel to produce zero-pollutant and zero-noise electricity. The electricity produced by the system is controlled by a DC\/DC converter installed on a central 700V DC bus previously tested on Baglietto\u2019s hybrid technology yachts. A set of lithium-ion batteries, connected to the same bus, in parallel with the fuel cell, is in charge of absorbing energy demand peaks and troughs on the user\u2019s side. Connected in parallel to the Fuel Cell on the same bus is a set of lithium-ion batteries designed to absorb peaks and sudden variations in energy demand on the user side.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
La Spezia, 13 April 2023_Baglietto, the historic Italian boat builder based in La Spezia, a true icon of international yachting, held a conference yesterday, entitled \u201cBzero \u2013 Working for an evolving future\u201d to outline the shipyard\u2019s progress in the field of new sustainable energy sources for the naval sector in today\u2019s constantly evolving and ever-changing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2724,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"rs_blank_template":"","rs_page_bg_color":"","slide_template_v7":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2728","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n