A six-month feasibility study at Portsmouth, UK, port has demonstrated how flow batteries offer a more cost effective solution to reducing the shipping industry’s emissions than conventional lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries.
Despite being larger than traditional batteries per kWh the Shore Power for Shipping (SPIDS) project found flow batteries can reduce the peak power of a port’s network connection to only 10-20% of the grid power required using traditional batteries.
Swanbarton and Marine South East conducted the study with funding from the Department for Transport’s Transport-Technology Research Innovation Grant (T-TRIG).
A further study will consider ship design, with initial calculations indicating the technology is applicable to ships with a range of up to 100-200 nautical miles.
The project team found flow battery’s benefits are scalable and the energy capacity could be increased through larger electrolyte tanks.
The SPIDS project researched a simulation of a flow battery shore charging system for cross channel ferries visiting Portsmouth.
Last month, BEST reported how Japanese battery maker GS Yuasa was supplying a dual chemical— lead-acid and lithium-ion— hybrid energy storage system to provide power for electric vehicle charging and localised grid support at Portsmouth International Port.
