Image credit: MAN Energy Solutions

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MAN Diesel & Turbo has been rebranded as MAN Energy Solutions in a move designed to represent the firm's new strategy for the future: to expand its business with sustainable technologies and solutions so that they become its main source of revenue by 2030.

MAN Energy Solutions' is supporting this strategic realignment with the expansion of its product range to include hybrid, storage and digital service technologies.

In terms of shipping, the company offers a number of alternative drive technologies, including hybrid drives, in order to further reduce the amount of heavy fuel engines in the industry, among other applications.

With the rebranding, the company says it is also taking a stand for the Paris Climate Agreement and the global pursuit of a carbon-neutral economy.

"For the first time ever, the international community has set a climate target. We want to play our part in helping to achieve it," said Dr Uwe Lauber, Chairman of the Board at MAN Energy Solutions.

"With our products and services, our activities have a significant impact on the global economy. In shipping, for example, we move more than half of the global stream of goods, while energy generation and industrial production also assume key roles on the path to fulfilling the Paris Agreement," Lauber added.

MAN Energy Solutions says it sees great potential in power-to-gas technology, which allows energy generated from renewable sources to be converted into synthetic fuels, such as natural gas.

"Using power-to-gas technology, we can produce a number of completely carbon-neutral, synthetic gases that can drastically reduce the CO2 impact of logistics and energy generation when used as fuel," Lauber observed.

MAN Energy Solutions' vision also sees electrical energy in the future generated either from renewable sources or by decentralised, flexible power plants that will increasingly be powered by such carbon-neutral fuels.

Lauber said: "In addition, there will be storage solutions in a range of sizes. In this way, we will build the intelligent energy system of the future."

"Whether we are talking about a marine-drive system, smart energy networks or efficient industrial-process solutions - converting energy into concrete economic and social benefits lies at the core of our business," commented Lauber. "By rebranding as MAN Energy Solutions, we are taking the next logical step and making that focus clear in our company name as well."

As part of the new branding, MAN Energy Solutions new brand tagline is 'Future in the making'.

Achievements

Recent achievements by MAN Energy Solutions include the key role it played in the world's first conversion of a container ship's propulsion system from heavy fuel oil (HFO) to LNG. The dual-fuel conversion saw the 1,036-TEU feeder container ship Wes Amelie retrofitted in August 2017 to a multi-fuel, four-stroke unit that enables dual-fuel operation.

In October 2017, MAN pledged a EUR 2m ($2.3m) discount to convert 10 HFO engines into gas engines as part of its drive to find clean solutions for seaborne trade and transportation.

MAN also recently announced that it will be building a new test engine facility in collaboration with HHI-EMD in a move designed to strengthen its development of dual-fuel gas engines.

Backing LNG

MAN Energy Solutions has publicly spoken out in favour of a 'Maritime Energy Transition' for some time, drawing on the increased use of gas as fuel.

MAN's call for a Maritime Energy Transition encapsulates its call to action to reduce emissions and establish natural gas as the fuel of choice in global shipping. The company considers the use of natural gas as a bunker fuel as the most promising way to support the goal of a climate-neutral shipping industry.

Launched in 2016 after COP 21, the Maritime Energy Transition initiative is also an umbrella covering all MAN Energy Solutions' activities in regard to supporting climate-neutral shipping, including:

- The retrofitting of the 'Wes Amelie' feeder containership's MAN 51/60DF engine to dual-fuel gas operation - the first such conversion of its type in the world;

- The development of MAN Energy Solutions' two-stroke ME-GI/ME-LGI engine portfolio to enable dual-fuel operation on, primarily, natural gas but also on alternative gaseous and liquid fuels such as LNG, methane, ethane, methanol and ethanol;

- The development of synthetic fuels created with renewable energy (i.e. power-to-gas) - another technology the company considers to have great CO2-reduction potential. Here, MAN Energy Solutions is closely collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy to create a research programme.

Furthermore, in 2015, MAN Energy Solutions purchased and fully integrated the fuel gas specialist Cryo AB. Under the brand MAN Cryo, the company has since then offered systems for the storage, distribution and handling of liquefied gases.

Last month, MAN Energy Solutions was announced as the latest member of SEA\LNG, the multi-sector industry coalition aiming to accelerate the widespread adoption of LNG as a marine fuel.

Commenting on the news at the time, Lauber said SEA\LNG's vision is 'well aligned' with his company's strategy.