Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HYPOBATT (Hyper powered vessel battery charging system)
Reporting period: 2023-12-01 to 2024-11-30
Maritime transport emits around 940 million tons of CO2 annually and is responsible for about 2.5% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In this regard, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), in line with the internationally agreed temperature goals under the Paris Agreement, has targeted to reduce total annual GHG emissions from shipping by at least 50% by 2050 compared to 2008. To achieve this target, Parliament's Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) committee required shipping companies to reduce, on a linear basis, their annual average CO2 emissions relative to transport work, for all their ships, by at least 40% by 2030 and to have better supply of shore-side electricity in ports. Electrification with shore power supply is one of the solutions to reach this target, and the market for electrified ships is large. Shore power can be used by marine vessels to plug into the local electricity grid and turn off auxiliary engines, air conditioning, and crew berths while at-dock, leading to less CO2 emissions onsite. Under the right circumstances when a vessel is connected to shore power, overall pollutant emissions can be reduced by up to 98% when utilizing power from the regional electricity grid, (depending on the mix of energy sources). Electrification is also an important means to make maritime transport climate neutral and is successfully used within hybrid and fully electric vessels serving shorter distances. Over the last 6 years, several short-distanced ferries and vessels for coastal transportation have been developed or planned for operating purely on batteries. Such ferries operate in a tight schedule with limited time for charging from shore between the trips. In addition, the capacity and range of electric vessels are rising and the battery cost for maritime application is decreasing rapidly in the last few years, as can be seen in the figure below.
The objective is to demonstrate the performance of fast multi-MW recharging systems in a realistic environment, to improve efficiency by 20%, to reduce turnaround time of E-ferry application and achieve less than 30 seconds after safe mooring by innovative automated connector, to reduce at least 20% waiting time including connection time, for charging preparation, to optimize daily operation of charger from booking to sailing of the vessels, to reduce operation and maintenance cost by 20%, to assess the flexibility regarding power levels and energy transfer while minimising impacts on electrical grid infrastructure and addressing potential battery degradation during fast charging, and to standardize the interfaces and communication between the shore side and ship side extending the current standards on DC shore connection systems to a regulatory framework applicable to hyper powered vessel battery charging systems. In addition, HYPOBATT will analyse market and feasibility assessment of the more wide-spread deployment of fast high power electrical charging of vessels in other ports and will deliver new business models considering high availability, reduced maintenance, and fast turnaround increasing Europe’s technological lead in fast charging systems for batteries in a wide range of vessel types. This project start in TRL3 and the ambition is to reach TRL7.
The objective is to demonstrate the performance of fast multi-MW recharging systems in a realistic environment, to improve efficiency by 20%, to reduce turnaround time of E-ferry application and achieve less than 30 seconds after safe mooring by innovative automated connector, to reduce at least 20% waiting time including connection time, for charging preparation, to optimize daily operation of charger from booking to sailing of the vessels, to reduce operation and maintenance cost by 20%, to assess the flexibility regarding power levels and energy transfer while minimising impacts on electrical grid infrastructure and addressing potential battery degradation during fast charging, and to standardize the interfaces and communication between the shore side and ship side extending the current standards on DC shore connection systems to a regulatory framework applicable to hyper powered vessel battery charging systems. In addition, HYPOBATT will analyse market and feasibility assessment of the more wide-spread deployment of fast high power electrical charging of vessels in other ports and will deliver new business models considering high availability, reduced maintenance, and fast turnaround increasing Europe’s technological lead in fast charging systems for batteries in a wide range of vessel types. This project start in TRL3 and the ambition is to reach TRL7.
During RP1, use cases were analyzed, and specifications and requirements were defined. A state-of-the-art study on charging systems and fully electric vessels was conducted. Integrating this information with validation requirements in Norderney (electric ship and FRISIA port), the HYPOBATT MS1 milestone was achieved. Additionally, some partners are working on defining the IEC 80005-4 standard for DC shore power connections.
The charging system includes a Power Conversion System (PCS) and an Automatic Connection Device (ACD). The PCS converts medium-voltage AC power to low-voltage DC for battery charging. The ACD manages the physical connection between the PCS and the vessel, ensuring alignment and communication. During this period, the MS2 milestone was reached, enabling the design phase to begin.
In parallel, a Digital Twin was completed, and control strategies were optimized to reduce charging time and extend battery life. These solutions were integrated into a cloud platform for port operations at FRISIA. Business models were also defined through stakeholder engagement, aligning their requirements with HYPOBATT’s technical solutions.
During RP2, significant progress was made in developing the charging system, achieving the MS3 milestone. The PCS was designed for efficient and safe power conversion, complying with maritime reliability standards. The ACD ensures precise connection and automated communication, minimizing manual intervention. Preparations at FRISIA port began for field validation, including infrastructure modifications and regulatory compliance.
Beyond technical developments, commercial strategies for high-power chargers were formulated, prioritizing scalability and profitability. Simulations evaluated various scenarios, providing key insights into operational feasibility. These efforts establish the project as a benchmark for sustainable charging solutions for electric vessels.
The charging system includes a Power Conversion System (PCS) and an Automatic Connection Device (ACD). The PCS converts medium-voltage AC power to low-voltage DC for battery charging. The ACD manages the physical connection between the PCS and the vessel, ensuring alignment and communication. During this period, the MS2 milestone was reached, enabling the design phase to begin.
In parallel, a Digital Twin was completed, and control strategies were optimized to reduce charging time and extend battery life. These solutions were integrated into a cloud platform for port operations at FRISIA. Business models were also defined through stakeholder engagement, aligning their requirements with HYPOBATT’s technical solutions.
During RP2, significant progress was made in developing the charging system, achieving the MS3 milestone. The PCS was designed for efficient and safe power conversion, complying with maritime reliability standards. The ACD ensures precise connection and automated communication, minimizing manual intervention. Preparations at FRISIA port began for field validation, including infrastructure modifications and regulatory compliance.
Beyond technical developments, commercial strategies for high-power chargers were formulated, prioritizing scalability and profitability. Simulations evaluated various scenarios, providing key insights into operational feasibility. These efforts establish the project as a benchmark for sustainable charging solutions for electric vessels.
The HYPOBATT project will contribute to the following expected impacts:
- Faster turnaround times of battery electric ships and facilitating the charging of larger on-board batteries.
- New business models are developed for electrical ships and their port operations in close cooperation with land side stakeholders.
- Increase Europe’s technological lead in fast charging systems for batteries that can be applied to a wide range of vessel types in the medium term.
- Increase Europe’s competitive advantage within the electric shipping market supporting jobs and growth.
- At least two full scale demonstrators in two European ports showing the practical use for an end-to-end service between these ports (without a proprietary solution, the system needs to be compatible with charging in other ports as well).
- Demonstration and performance assessment in a realistic environment of fast multi-MW recharging systems, leading to an increase in the technical and economic viability of battery electric shipping.
- Market analysis and feasibility assessment of the more wide-spread deployment of fast high power electrical charging of vessels in European ports (or at certain offshore facilities), including short sea vessels and ferries.
- Demonstrated flexibility regarding different waterborne applications to be served by the same connecting facility.
- Faster turnaround times of battery electric ships and facilitating the charging of larger on-board batteries.
- New business models are developed for electrical ships and their port operations in close cooperation with land side stakeholders.
- Increase Europe’s technological lead in fast charging systems for batteries that can be applied to a wide range of vessel types in the medium term.
- Increase Europe’s competitive advantage within the electric shipping market supporting jobs and growth.
- At least two full scale demonstrators in two European ports showing the practical use for an end-to-end service between these ports (without a proprietary solution, the system needs to be compatible with charging in other ports as well).
- Demonstration and performance assessment in a realistic environment of fast multi-MW recharging systems, leading to an increase in the technical and economic viability of battery electric shipping.
- Market analysis and feasibility assessment of the more wide-spread deployment of fast high power electrical charging of vessels in European ports (or at certain offshore facilities), including short sea vessels and ferries.
- Demonstrated flexibility regarding different waterborne applications to be served by the same connecting facility.