Achieving high voltage, low weight, efficient electric powertrains for sustainable waterborne transport (ZEWT Partnership)

The voltage level of battery installations on-board vessels is typically limited and within the regulations for low voltage installations. By increasing the voltage level of the on-board distribution system, the energy conversion can achieve higher efficiencies and be more compact, due to the smaller cross-sectional area of conductors and lower losses. However, for waterborne transport (waterborne transport refers to both maritime and inland waterway transport) applications, challenges remain related to the design of conversion systems and insulation methods for integrating low voltage battery systems in high voltage AC or DC distribution systems. The necessary regulatory aspects also need to be defined to facilitate market take up for waterborne transport. Although e.g. high-voltage Li-Ion battery packs may be presently applied, the current state-of-the-art still offers solutions that are too heavy to enable electrification of a wider range of larger waterborne transport assets. However new developments show potential for a reduction of battery pack weight. Further study of the adaptation and the on-board integration solutions available for recently developed technologies, such as Li-Ion NMC, LTO, LFP is needed.

Building on the current state of the art solutions should contribute towards the battery electrification of a wider range of vessel types, for both maritime and inland waterway transport which are characterized by the need for larger battery systems and longer autonomy.

Projects are expected to address all of the following aspects:

• Design of battery management systems of high voltage battery installations for AC and DC distribution systems in waterborne transport.
• Design and control of conversion systems, insulation design and insulation coordination.
• Adoption of low weight electrical energy storage designed to be integrated on board (e.g. not an on deck ISO container).
• Sustainability and circularity criteria to be preferably adapted for whole life of on-board battery pack solutions (i.e. second-life applications).
• Identification and characterisation of the specific requirements needed for inland waterway and maritime transport.
• Development of battery safety concept that is in principle suitable for class approval, especially for large battery spaces on-board, considering detection, ventilation and fire suppression technology.
• Identify and, if necessary, support the development of any new standards and certification procedures which will be required to facilitate deployment of the developed new technologies and solutions.

The new solutions should also contribute significantly to the overall safety for on-board battery applications (i.e. for toxic emissions, fire propagation, etc.). The form factor, the battery management system and the interface with the shore side electric grid should also be considered.

The projects are expected to ensure synergies with the Horizon Europe Batteries Partnership and are encouraged to envisage clustering activities with the project funded from the topics HORIZON-CL5-2021-D2-01-02 and HORIZON-CL5-2021-D2-01-03.

This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on ‘Zero Emission Waterborne Transport’ (ZEWT). As such, projects resulting from this topic will be expected to report on results to the European Partnership ‘Zero Emission Waterborne Transport’ (ZEWT) in support of the monitoring of its KPIs.