Solutions for hybrid electric and elec- tric applications for ships, under- water vehicles and on shore harbor equipment such as diesel generator powered RTG cranes: EAS
Batteries produces highest safety and flexibility for maritime applications.
The latest product, EASy Marine®, is a unique mechanical modu- lar battery system with a safe cell chemistry. Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) makes it one of the most robust, sustainable and safe systems on the market. EASy Marine® can be installed self-supporting in various room sizes and shapes. Optimized for hybrid marine propulsion, EASy Marine® holds all the necessary approvals on the water through DNV-GL and IEC (62619 and 62620) certifications. Reliability, safety, power performance and flexibility were the top priorities in the development of EASy Marine®, made by EAS Batteries in Germany. In the foreseeable future, it will always make sense to use a battery system like EASy Marine® to buffer load fluctuations, to achieve higher loads in the first place, to optimise fuel consumption, to operate propulsion systems (based on diesel, LNG, fuel cells or similar) more efficiently or to extend their service life, says Dr Frank Diehl, EAS’ Head of Sales and Marketing, in the following interesting interview...
You have said in the past that your battery system EASy Marine® is like “Lego for adults”. What do you mean by that and how does this system work for efficient fuel consumption in shipping?
“Lego for adults” is an illustration that describes the flexibility of the mechanical concept. The EASy Marine® battery system consists of modules that can be flexibly arranged and interconnected. This allows spaces in ships to be occupied with batteries that are too small for rigid rack-based systems. For example, with EASy Marine®, spaces in between or rooms with low ceilings or deviating floor plans can be used for the electrification of a ship. This modular design of the battery system is unique in the maritime industry.
The link to efficient fuel consumption is that EASy Marine® makes it possible
to hybridise existing ships that do not have enough space for classic systems. These ships then also benefit from the efficient fuel consumption made possible by a hybrid drive. With the help of a battery system like EASy Marine®, diesel gen- erators can be operated permanently in the so-called sweet spot, where fuel con- sumption is lowest in relation to the generated power. In addition, the batteries compensate for load fluctuations, for example propulsion or hotel load. This is referred to as peak shaving or load leveling. Depending on the load fluctuations, fuel savings of up to 25 or even 30 percent are possible.
Things are changing very fast in the shipping industry and it is very difficult to take for granted that today’s technology will work one hundred percent efficient and effective in the future. Do you believe that EASy Marine® is a product de- signed not only for today but also for the future, and why?
Absolutely. In the foreseeable future, it will always make sense to use a battery system like EASy Marine® to buffer load fluctuations, to achieve higher loads in the first place, to optimise fuel consumption, to operate propulsion systems (based on diesel, LNG, fuel cells or similar) more efficiently or to extend their service life.
The advantage of EASy Marine® lies specifically in the fact that the battery system benefits permanently and directly from the further development of cell technology as - EAS Batteries GmbH continuously improves its cell portfolio and installs state of the art in the ship battery. There will be no reasonable alternative
to lithium-ion technology for a long time. But within lithium-ion technology, different materials are used with very different impacts on safety and sustainability. The lithium-ion cells of our modular marine battery currently use LFP. This cell chemistry is considered the benchmark in terms of safety.
And according to all that is known today, LFP is also the safest material in the long term. It is also definitely the most sustainable material. Iron and phosphorus - unlike cobalt, nickel or manganese - are not scarce resources. The lithium itself is also used more efficiently within this combination. LFP also has a significantly lower CO2 footprint in production.
The scarcity of other materials will drive up their price in view of the expected CO2 price development, LFP will thus also be cheaper in the long term. In principle, however, the modular battery system EASy Marine® functions independently of the cell chemistry of the installed cells and will automatically profit from future developments.
Do you believe that in the long term, a hybrid drive with fuel cells and batteries could represent a fully electric solution for shipping industry?
Quite clearly, yes. In the end, however, success will depend on how the availability of the fuel develops globally.
What are the advantages of EASy Marine® and what are your plans for the future as a highly innovative niche supplier?
In summary the advantages of EASy Marine® are:
• Most flexible architecture: Module based, no rack
• Very safe and reliable chemistry: No fire, no propagation, highly enduring cells
• Vertically integrated company: Cell, cell block, battery system one stop shop
Additional advantages of EASy Marine® in the high-power version: • Highest power in class: 5C Constant - 15C Peak
• Lowest price per kW on system level for constant power
The heart of the battery is its cell. We develop and produce these cells in Germany. Because we have this technology in-house, we are constantly improving and developing the cells. EASy Marine® benefits directly from innovations within our cell portfolio. In the next steps, we will diversify and expand our EASy Marine® offering.
Dr Frank Diehl, you recently spoke in a thematic forum “Sustainability & New Concepts in Shipping” about “Battery Systems for Shipping - Made in Germany”. Would you like to tell us your main point of your speech?
In my presentation I talked about the relevance of Battery Systems for Shipping. And this works with EASy Marine®, developed and produced in Germany with materials from Europe, too.
With EASy Marine®, we offer an autonomous battery system for the global shipping market that is independent from other conti- nents, based on German technologies. This is a strong solution that insures reliability at different levels - in use, in supply chains, in quality and in sustainability.
EASy Marine® is present in the large maritime market of Greece through a new exclusive collaboration with Euploia Drydocks and Services Ltd. What do you expect to achieve with this Agency Agreement in the field of your marine battery solutions?
Our vision for the Greek maritime market is to become, together with our partners, the leading maritime battery solution supplier in Greece.
What do other people say about EASy Marine®? Do you have any feedback from the shipping industry related to your product?
Our project partners appreciate the extreme performance, the mechanical flexibility and last but not least the unique safety level of the system.
There are many who claim that batteries are only good for small ships and short voyages. This is because the energy per kilogram of a battery is significantly lower than the energy per kilogram of diesel. Would you like to make a comment on this?
This statement seems to refer to fully battery-powered electric boats, not necessarily to hybrid concepts. And even then, this state- ment applies more to short-distance vessels. This is due to the lim- ited range of purely electric systems or with the limited possibilities of being able to recharge again and again.
We see a particular strength of batteries in the hybrid solution. Hybrid drives are possible for all ships, there are no restrictions on the size of the vessels or the length of the routes. Even if larger ships have to sail part of their routes fully electrically, for example for regulatory reasons, this is possible with hybrid solutions.
The advantages of hybridisation are:
• Unlimited Range: Range extender via liquid fuel such as diesel, H2, etc.
• Most efficient use of diesel fuel: Sweet spot only
operation
• Freedom of Design: New and more efficient ship designs possible • Savings: Fuel, generators power, maintenance, back-up systems, torque for efficient propeller, etc.
• Option to sail fully electric: harbour cruise, hotel load support, meeting regulations
• Use of existing infrastructure: No additional charging infrastruc- ture on land necessary, sail where you want
• Reduce emissions - fit for future: CO2, noise, NOx,
particulate matter
* Head of Sales and Marketing, EAS Batteries
Euploia Dry Docks and Services, LTD. is the Exclusive Agent in Greece for EAS Batteries. Contact Charis Valentakis at +30 210 9400660 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..