Renewable Energy Battery Solutions Ready for Ships
A range of marine battery solutions has received approval for use on-board ships or marine related applications such as offshore platforms and renewable energy projects.
Now available from Eco Marine Power (EMP), a developer of renewable energy solutions for ships, in cooperation with storage batteries and electrical machinery manufacturer Furukawa Battery Company of Japan, the battery range has been accepted for use on classed vessels by ClassNK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai) in addition to having been evaluated by EMP.
Three main battery types from Furukawa Battery will now be used by EMP as part of its Aquarius Marine Solar Power and Aquarius MAS + Solar solution packages. Details of these battery technologies are as follows:
- FC38-12: FC38-12 VRLA (Valve Regulated Lead Acid) batteries are suited for small marine solar power applications (i.e. up to around 5kWp) and can be supplied either as a battery pack set or as individual 12V units. An advantage of the FC38-12 is that it’s relatively small size and light weight makes it suitable for installation into small (but ventilated) spaces on-board ships and other vessels.
- FCP Series: Furukawa Cycle Power (FCP) series battery units are available in various configurations and are supplied complete with a modular design mounting rack for superior vibration resistance. The space saving design of the unit also reduces installation and maintenance time. FCP series batteries are ideally suited for renewable energy applications and their long life (approximately 15 years) and low maintenance requirements make them suited for use on ships.
- UB Series: The Ultra Battery (UB) series are a solution for smart grid, wind power and solar power applications both on land and on ships. UB-50-12 batteries can be supplied as individual units or as a pack for use with an EMP marine solar power solution. Some features of the UB Series are their long cycle life (approximately 4500 cycles for the UB-1000) and suppression of cathode sulfation. The UB series batteries are suited for retrofit projects in addition to being suitable for new shipbuilding projects.
After exhibiting a range of battery technologies along with EMP at the Electric and Hybrid Marine World Expo in Amsterdam recently, Mr. Kodaka, General Manager, International Business Department at Furukawa Battery stated, “There is now a range of batteries from Furukawa Battery that have received acceptance from ClassNK, and these products are ideally suited for renewable energy applications on ships and for offshore platforms.”
Kodaka added that Furukawa Battery will work with Eco Marine Power to promote its battery technologies and expand its market share for energy storage in the shipping and maritime sectors.
In addition to supplying batteries and marine solar power solutions, EMP is also able to provide a range of services including marine renewable energy audits, system design and consulting services.