Patent ID: 8278879

Claim:
A system comprising: an energy storage device configured to be disposed aboard a marine vessel having an alternating current bus that supplies first alternating current to power one or more alternating current loads of the marine vessel, the energy storage device configured to supply first direct current; a converter device configured to be conductively coupled with the energy storage device and the alternating current bus and to convert the first direct current supplied from the energy storage device to the first alternating current; and a switching device configured to be conductively coupled with the alternating current bus and the converter device, the switching device configured to be disposed between the alternating current bus and the converter device such that the switching device closes to conductively couple the energy storage device and the converter device with the alternating current bus, the switching device also configured to open to disconnect the energy storage device and the converter device from the alternating current bus while an alternating current generator connected to the alternating current bus remains conductively coupled with the one or more alternating current loads; wherein the energy storage device is configured to provide the first direct current to the converter device that changes the first direct current to the first alternating current for transmission along the alternating current bus for powering the one or more alternating current loads, the energy storage device providing the first direct current to reduce at least one of fuel consumed, emissions generated, or mechanical noise generated by the marine vessel.