The Switch gears up for offshore hybrid opportunity

Testing under supervision of class society DNV GL in Trondheim found no issues with the first three electric bus line breakers (EBL) to undergo testing. A further three will undertake the same process prior to delivery.

“We only received the original order in September last year, so it’s been a tight turnaround,” said Asbjørn Halsebakke, general manager, The Switch Norway. “The next step will see full load testing onboard the vessel. We see this as the future of sustainable maritime operations, so it’s very satisfying to observe the products making headway in the market.”

The DC Hub allows generators to run at optimal efficiency while batteries take up any further load, reducing fuel consumption. The batteries can also be used as stand-by power sources, lowering maintenance costs and energy consumption. The hub also allows any potential power source – such as wind generators, fuel cells or solar panels – to be easily connected to the DC grid.

The EBL connects the DC Hub to the diesel engines, ensuring efficient ongoing operations even if a critical fault occurs.

As reported, The Switch – part of Yaskawa Corp – was recently renamed Yaskawa Environmental Energy Division.