A propulsion system for a vessel includes an engine propulsion unit that provides a propulsive force to a hull by using an engine as a power source, an electric propulsion unit that provides a propulsive force to the hull by using an electric motor as a power source, a storing mechanism that is displaced from an actuating position to actuate the electric propulsion unit to a storing position to store the electric propulsion unit and performs a storing operation to store the electric propulsion unit, and an interlock controller that interlocks a storing operation of the storing mechanism with generation of a propulsive force by the engine propulsion unit.

The invention relates to a water-going assembly comprising a first buoyant structure (S1) comprising at least two hulls (F1, F1′; F11, F11′, F12, F12′) delimiting between them a space (E1) and a photovoltaic arrangement (PH1) occupying a substantial proportion of the footprint of the buoyant structure, and a second buoyant structure (S2) provided with an electric thruster (P2) and with a battery (B2), means for assembling the two buoyant structures detachably, with means of electrical connection between the photovoltaic arrangement of the first buoyant structure and the battery of the second buoyant structure, the latter being able to be used for moving the two structures (S1, S2) with a directional guidance, or as an autonomous motorized marine craft.

A turbine system that harnesses energy from natural atmospheric wind and water currents for power generation and storage in a power storage mode, and in a reverse switched operation, sources current to the turbine system from storage power to function in a propulsion mode to propel an associated structure (e.g., boat, aircraft).

Disclosed is a system for deploying, stationing, and translocating buoyant wind- and wave-energy converters and/or other buoyant structures or devices, as well as farms of same. Also disclosed is a novel apparatus and/or machine comprising a farm of buoyant wave energy converters deployed by said method and/or configured to be deployed by said method.

A marine vessel can be propelled by using wind or solar energy. This propulsion results in the forward movement and six degrees of motion (roll, heave, pitch, yaw, surge, and sway) of the marine vessel. This invention capitalizes on the fact that solar, wind and wave energy are cyclical by nature. The present invention enables the vessel to manage stored and harvested energy from these energy sources and use the stored energy during periods when the external natural sources of energy are not available in adequate quantities to maintain a reasonable speed of advance for the marine vessel. The vessel's natural energy management system (NEMS) manages it in such a way that harvesting of the energy during high energy cycles, storing it and using it when needed during low external energy cycles, allows a marine vessel to maintain faster average speed without reliance on any fossil or chemical fuel and by only using renewable energy sources.

An electric power system includes electric energy sources and control equipment for controlling the electric energy sources in accordance with a target value of electric power produced by the electric power system. The control equipment activates and deactivates the electric energy sources based on a control value and on activation and deactivation limits. The control value can be the target value or the actual value of the electric power. The control equipment controls active electric energy sources according to the target value and according to power sharing defined for the active electric energy sources. The activation and deactivation limits as well as activation and deactivation order of the electric energy sources can be determined based on properties of the electric energy sources and on a prevailing operational situation of the electric power system.

A motor/generator/transmission system includes: an axle; a stator ring having a plurality of stator coils disposed around the periphery of the stator ring, wherein each phase of the plurality of stator coils includes a respective set of multiple parallel non-twisted wires separated at the center tap with electronic switches for connecting the parallel non-twisted wires of each phase of the stator coils all in series, all in parallel, or in a combination of series and parallel; a rotor support structure coupled to the axle; a first rotor ring and a second rotor ring each having an axis of rotation coincident with the axis of rotation of the axle, at least one of the first rotor ring or the second rotor ring being slidably coupled to the rotor support structure and configured to translate along the rotor support structure in a first axial direction or in a second axial direction.

The disclosed is a method for forecasting a demand load during navigation of a ship based on working condition classification. The method of the disclosure comprises: training historical data values by employing a least squares support vector machine to obtain a classification plane, classifying working conditions during the navigation into a fast-changing working condition and a stable working condition, and determining in real time a working condition type of the ship in an online stage. A method for forecasting a demand load by means of a Markov chain is employed for the stable working condition, and a method for forecasting a demand load by means of a radial basis function neural network optimized by a genetic algorithm is employed for the fast-changing working condition. A desirable forecasting effect can be achieved by selecting forecast models suitable for either type of working condition.

A marine vessel, system, and process provides for reducing or eliminating fuel consumption and emissions of marine vessels. System and method for charging an electricity storage element of an energy storage system of a floating marine vessel may include applying a power source from a marine platform to an electrical power bus of the floating vessel to charge the electricity storage element. A power generator of the marine vessel configured to supply electrical power to the power bus may be configured from an ON state to an OFF state.

A modular hybrid propulsion unit is disclosed that is mountable to a watercraft. According to an example, the modular hybrid propulsion unit includes a housing configured to fit within a complementary housing receiver on a topside of the watercraft, and a rotational output coupling configured to rotationally engage with a rotational input coupling for a propeller of the watercraft. The propulsion unit further includes an electric motor within the housing, the electric motor having a motor shaft connected to the rotational output coupling for providing an electrically powered rotational input to the rotational output coupling. The propulsion unit further includes a crank having one or more crank arms. The crank is connected to the rotational output coupling for providing a human powered rotational input to the rotational output coupling independent of the electrically powered rotational input by the electric motor.