Unique sensor to make shipping more environmentally friendly

Ships running on heavy fuel oil emit large amounts of sulphur, soot and particulate matter. This pollution from shipping is an international problem that contributes to poor air quality worldwide.

To reduce the sulphur content of exhaust emissions, ships need reliable measuring equipment. For years, they have used laboratory equipment that is poorly suited to conditions at sea, breaks down quickly and is costly. Technology company Tunable has therefore developed an analyser specifically for ships that reliably and accurately measures whether the exhaust is being cleaned effectively.

'Measuring which greenhouse gases ships emit and in what quantities was previously considered extremely difficult, but we have developed a sensor that solves the problem simply,' says Kristian Hovet, CEO of technology company Tunable.

Tunable's solution is maintenance-free and has proven capable of withstanding harsh offshore conditions.

In 2019, Tunable received a NOK 3.9 million environmental technology grant from us.

'When we say that Innovation Norway supports the project, it gives the project a seal of approval. Our partners have heard of Innovation Norway and know that they do not invest in projects they do not believe in,' says Hovet.

The funding has supported the development and testing of the analyser on various vessels worldwide, and our partner Norsk Analyse has installed it on cruise ships and cargo vessels around the world.

Tunable has also received funding from the Research Council of Norway, as well as loans from us.

‘The collaboration has been outstanding. They have a high level of professional expertise and a strong understanding of business development,’ says Håkon Nyhus, Senior ICT Adviser at our Oslo Viken regional office.

The founders come from the research community at SINTEF.

‘Tunable has emerged from a strong research environment in gas sensor technology, and its core technology has many potential applications. Analysing exhaust emissions from ships is one promising example that addresses a significant environmental challenge, while the potential of both the company and its technology extends far beyond this area,’ Nyhus points out.

Most ships still run on heavy fuel oil because low-sulphur fuel is expensive. To reduce sulphur emissions from heavy fuel oil, the exhaust must pass through a scrubber, an exhaust gas cleaning system installed on the ship. The analyser developed by Tunable measures gases from the scrubber.

'The analyser contains a microchip with a tunable optical filter, allowing us to shine light through the gas and identify individual gases in complex mixtures. Other gases present do not interfere with the readings,' says Hovet.

According to Hovet and Tunable, more energy efficiency requirements will be introduced in the future.

'The truth is that there are now vast areas of ocean where ships can do whatever they want. When you see what is really happening, it makes you angry. This is a problem we can help address with our solution,' he says.

To date, Tunable has delivered 70 systems to a range of vessels. They have a contract to supply 500 analysers to vessels worldwide.

– What is the next step?

‘We are now developing the analyser so that it can measure all key greenhouse gases – not just sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide. Our main goal is for the analyser to be installed on all 90,000 ships worldwide, helping to minimise pollution in the world’s oceans,’ says Hovet.

DFDS The Crown is currently testing Tunable's analyser in a version that measures all flue gases in a system supplied by its business partner, Norsk Analyse.

The analyser is also being developed for use on land across many key industries. This will enable Tunable to help monitor and reduce emissions from land-based activities.

Read more about how Tunable presents its solution to international audiences on Business Norway.