Operational Cost Optimization for a Ferry Electrification Case Study

This study investigates the technical and economic feasibility of ferry electrification utilizing the battery energy storage system. Here, the actual load profile information collected from the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) Ferry system is considered as a case study to explore an optimal power schedule for an all-electric ferry vessel. The optimal capacity of the battery is determined based on its depth of discharge (DOD) characteristics and the proposed sizing method is validated against the case study load profile. Both cycling and calendar expenditure related to the battery are taken into account during this economic assessment, and it is found that the battery DOD usage has a significant effect on the operational expense associated with the battery-powered all-electric ferry. An economic comparison of the battery-powered ferry and the diesel mechanical alternative is presented to justify the proposed sizing method for the battery energy storage system.