Limitations of conventional batteries in marine applications:

Large battery packs are increasingly deployed to improve the efficiency and to eliminate emissions from waterborne transport. However waterborne transport batteries are much more expensive than automotive batteries of equivalent capacity, due to shorter lifecycles than those of ships, and more complicated cooling systems. Other significant barriers to increasing the deployment of fully battery electric shipping are the space and weight of conventional batteries and absence of shore charging infrastructure.



Aluminum-air Batteries:

These innovative batteries, already fielded in land applications, create electricity by reacting Aluminum with Oxygen from the ambient air. Aluminum-air technology, allows an energy density that surpasses conventional battery technologies, at much lower prices. Furthermore, unlike rechargeable batteries, the Al-air battery does not lose capacity when not in use and does not degrade over time. The Aluminum anode depletes only when producing electricity, eventually saturating the electrolyte. Both are easily replaced and recycled.



Containerized Aluminum-air batteries for marine applications:

We have designed a 20' container with Al-air batteries, complete with all the support systems for providing up to 4.8 MWh. Using containers enables quick turnaround. A comparable Li-ion container provides less than a third of the capacity and weighs more.



Shore power alternative:

Ships in port operate their ICE generators, impacting the local environment. Our solution is to provide the power from Aluminum-air batteries on barges moored alongside. Since these batteries are independent from the grid, the requirement for massive investment in shore power infrastructure is avoided.