Archive
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- June 2015
- April 2015
- December 2014
- October 2014
- August 2014
- May 2014
- February 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- June 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- January 2012
- May 2011
New electric ferry, Elvy
Electrification of public transport is an important investment to achieve the target for reducing emissions. SSPA has supported Västtrafik, the public transport company in Gothenburg, Sweden, during the project to build a new ferry with battery-hybrid propulsion. The traffic across the river Göta älv in central Gothenburg has been a success and the passengers can continue to increase with the new ferry, Elvy. In late October, after naming ceremony and crew training, she will enter traffic. We are looking forward to travel across the river, more silent and with less emissions.
Elvy will be Västtrafik´s third ferry on the route between Stenpiren and Lindholmen, across the river in central Gothenburg. Elvy appears almost identical to her sister vessels Älveli and Älvfrida on the outside. The main difference between Elvy and her sister vessels is Elvy’s battery-hybrid propulsion. Elvy is fitted with 1008 kWh of battery energy, a total of 96 battery modules, which will enable full electric propulsion of Elvy up to 6 hours every day.
The battery installation has made it possible to only install one diesel generator and fit a smaller fuel tank. The diesel generator cannot be omitted entirely. Despite the large battery installation, the energy required for a full day operation needs the addition of electric power from a genset. Fitting the batteries onboard and dealing with the adaptions of the ship systems has been challenging but worthwhile.
The batteries will be charged fully during night and discharged during operation. This is expected to cut fuel consumption by 45 % and NOx emissions with more than 90 % compared to her sister vessels.
- “SSPA has supported the vessel owner Västtrafik during the whole project, through negotiations with the shipyard Työvene, design, building and finally delivery of the vessel”, says Staffan Sjöling, Project Manager at SSPA.
Photos
Elvy outside of Öckerö where she was received by a crew from Styrsöbolaget and SSPA, after being towed from Uudenkaupungin Työvene. Photo: SSPA.
One of the two battery packs providing power to the propellers. Photo: SSPA.
Battery hybrid applied to marine propulsion
The maritime industry is currently experiencing a significant increase of interest in battery hybrid installations for new buildings and retrofits. A number of recent projects show that SSPA has the tools and knowledge to answer these questions and to evaluate different alternatives for propulsion, from batteries and fuel tanks to propellers.
The SSPA shuttle ferry concept
In order to cope with rapid population growth in urban areas, overloaded roads/rails and the desire to turn former harbor and wharf areas into attractive residential districts, seaways could be used even more in the future as part of the public transport system. In Stockholm, for example, more public transport by sea is already high on the political agenda.