4. Electric power generation and storage

4.1 Context

Traditionally, the ship's electrical power is supplied by an electrical plant consisting of 2 to 6 generator sets driven by thermal machines (semi-rapid diesel engines, sometimes gas turbines). This power plant is divided between one or two compartments, depending on space availability and safety requirements (service continuity, dynamic positioning and other equipment requiring redundancy, etc.). To this set of generators can be added an alternator coupled to the propulsion line (or two alternators if two shaft lines), plus, of course, the emergency generators.

Today's naval architects are faced with new possibilities and new constraints:

• the ability to store large quantities of electrical energy...