Session: 08-05-06: Energy-Related Multidisciplinary VI

Paper Number: 145460

145460 - A Decarbonization Strategy for Preserving the Galapagos Islands With Green Hydrogen in Maritime Transportation: Empowering a Sustainable and Inclusive Green Tourism 

The Galapagos Islands (GI), an archipelago located in Ecuador and declared a World Heritage Site in 1976, are the world's best-preserved wildlife reserve and home to a unique ecosystem of endemic native flora and fauna species. Sadly, this sensitive ecosystem is threatened by climate change and human activities (especially tourism), associated with fossil fuel use. Currently, this region is highly dependent on fossil fuels, with only 16% of its electricity generation capacity coming from renewable sources (wind and solar energy), while the remaining 84% is based on electricity generation from internal combustion engines. This situation not only leads to GHG emissions but also to water and soil pollution due to waste and furthermore, shipwrecks of tankers, that have endangered the integrity of the natural environment. With maritime transport accounting for 75% of energy consumption in the archipelago, this sector becomes a critical area to be investigated to comply with the islands' decarbonization plan. 

Green hydrogen has gained widespread recognition as a clean energy source with the potential to decarbonize the maritime transportation sector. For the GI, it is an important alternative that eliminates emissions and minimizes the risk of fuel spills. Beyond its sustainability benefits, its high energy density and ability to provide sufficient power for extended periods make it an attractive option for maritime operations. This project assesses the technical and economic feasibility of transitioning to green hydrogen, as a first approach, focusing on the conceptualization of an integrated system to supply the energy needs of ferries dedicated to interisland transport.  

This project presents a detailed analysis of the proposed hydrogen production technology, ship selection and operation, off-grid energy generation in-land, water desalination needs, techno economic analysis, LCA and environmental impacts during service. In addition, the designed system aligns with the needs and customs of the islands' population, where the community's perception, through focus groups and surveys, is analyzed in relation to their economic activities (mostly related to tourism), cost factors, environmental impacts and safety, associated with the use of green hydrogen.  

Comparative scenarios are proposed to evaluate the energy mix of renewable energies that will minimize costs and emissions, in addition to adapting to the climatic conditions and the availability of land area on the islands. The research proposes four scenarios for the generation of renewable energy on land, where the percentage of contribution varies between wind and solar energy. Computational tools such as PVsyst, Homer, Simapro and opensource tools are used to model these scenarios. The conducted investigation proposes to install an electrolyzer plant using anion-exchange-membrane technologies AEM in the Island of Baltra to power three 88-passenger ferry to travel the inter-island route Santa Cruz Island-to-San Cristóbal Island, back and forth, and Santa Cruz-to-Isabela, back and forth. The investment in the H2-facility could be of about 9 MM USD. Such an investment would offer a potential reduction in global warming impacts of between 75% and 89% depending on the electricity generation technology used to power the hydrogen production. 

The aim is to create a sustainable model that will not only benefit the Galapagos Islands, but also inspire future energy transition efforts in equally sensitive environments by generating a methodology for future proposals that will guide the overall management of clean energy projects with an inclusive approach. 

Presenting Author: Alfredo Valarezo Universidad San Francisco de Quito

Presenting Author Biography: Alfredo is a professor and researcher in manufacturing processes and materials science. He is a specialist in high temperature, wear and corrosion protective coatings, especially through thermal spray techniques (metallization), electrolytic coatings and diffusion coatings. He works intensively in technology transfer activities between academia and industry. He also conducts field research in clean cookstoves and experimental and modeling studies in coatings, in collaboration with groups in the United States, Mexico, Finland, Sweden, among others. Alfredo is the director of the Energy and Materials Institute. He has conducted research projects funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), both in the United States, as well as local funds.

Authors:

Alfredo Valarezo Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Emilia Ramos Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Westly Castro Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Marco León Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Krutskaya Yépez Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Lorena Bejarano Universidad San Francisco de Quito
David Escudero Universidad San Francisco de Quito
Camilla Thomson University of Edinburgh
David Ingram University of Edinburgh
Dimitri Mignard University of Edinburgh