The V-ACCESS project has successfully completed testing of superconducting and supercapacitor technologies at the Electric TEst Facility (ETEF) in Trieste, Italy.
This European-funded initiative, worth €5 million ($5.85m), is focused on advancing a next-generation Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS) that integrates superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) with high-power supercapacitors.
At the heart of the project is SMES technology based on Magnesium Diboride (MgB2), developed by ASG Superconductors, alongside supercapacitors engineered by Skeleton. Together, these devices complement conventional batteries, delivering rapid energy pulses, improved reliability and extended battery lifecycles. The hybrid approach also supports innovative load management and contributes to reducing CO2 emissions.
SMES is particularly suited to short-term, high-power applications such as voltage stabilisation and power modulation, while supercapacitors provide fast charge and discharge cycles with exceptional durability, capable of millions of cycles. This synergy is designed to meet the demands of ship electrification and energy-intensive industries, while also helping balance electrical grids in line with renewable integration and Green Deal objectives.
The project partnership includes Fincantieri, VARD, RINA, RSE, SINTEF, and leading universities in Trieste, Genoa, Birmingham and Milan.
Professor Giorgio Sulligoi of the University of Trieste said, “The synergy between companies and the university world in the V-ACCESS project has already made tangible strides towards a hybrid electrification technology that will be useful and necessary not only in shipping but in all applications requiring large and rapid energy pulses.”
Professor Tricoli of the University of Birmingham added, “We are aiming for a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5, a preparatory step for future developments related to development projects and the installation of this technology on board ships.”
