Propulsão híbrida em empurradores fluviais: um estudo de eficiência e sustentabilidade

Abstract

Waterway transport is essential to Brazil's logistics matrix, especially due to its high energy efficiency and low operating costs, and is widely used to transport grains, minerals, and fuels between production areas and ports. Even so, the national fleet depends, for the most part, on heavy fuel oil (HFO) internal combustion engines, whose operation results in significant emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), sulfur oxides (SOₓ), and particulate matter (PM). These emissions aggravate environmental and climatic effects, challenging the shipping industry to align itself with new international decarbonization goals and advances in clean technologies. In this context, hybrid propulsion presents itself as an effective solution to reduce fuel consumption and emissions into the atmosphere without compromising vessel performance. This paper presents a sizing method for a hybrid propulsion system, focused on a river pusher, based on information from a national vessel. Three scenarios were analyzed: the conventional one using HFO, a retrofit with an auxiliary electric motor and HFO, and a hybrid system that combines marine diesel oil (MGO) with electric propulsion. The comparison clearly reveals a reduction in energy consumption and emissions, especially in low-power operating conditions and during maneuvers, as well as notable gains in operational efficiency. The incorporation of this technology further reinforces the fleet's compliance with current environmental standards, increases operational flexibility, and helps to reduce costs over the vessel's lifetime. Therefore, the hybridization of propulsion systems is established as a crucial axis in the modernization of Brazilian inland navigation, promoting energy efficiency, technological innovation, and a commitment to sustainability in the naval sector.