Corvus Energy, Siemens AS and Scandlines have announced the award of the energy storage system contract for the M/V Berlin and M/V Copenhagen battery hybrid ferries currently being built at the Danish shipyard FAYARD.

The new vessels M/V Berlin and M/V Copenhagen will each use a 1,050VDC, 1.5MWh Energy Storage System (ESS) consisting of 231 Corvus Energy AT6500 advanced lithium polymer batteries.

The batteries will be integrated with a Siemens converter system and together they form an Energy Storage System that will be powered by four diesel gensets (one less than a non-hybrid design).

The M/V Berlin and M/V Copenhagen will have similar systems to the four Scandlines hybrid vessels on the route Puttgarden-Rodby, winner of Initiative of the Year at the Ship Efficiency Awards 2014.

Each of the new ferries will have a capacity of 1,300 passengers and 460 cars or 96 trucks. The innovative hybrid propulsion system will be combined with a scrubber that cleans the engine exhaust streams of pollutants such as sulphur and particulate matter and will help reduce sulphur emissions by at least 90 %.

"We are very pleased that Corvus'/Siemens' energy storage system was selected for these innovative vessels" said Andrew Morden, President and CEO, Corvus Energy.

"The M/V Berlin and M/V Copenhagen are examples of the significant benefits both operationally and environmentally of battery hybrid propulsion."

Corvus' lithium polymer energy storage technology is an effective solution for hybridization of commercial vessels with dynamic duty cycles. It provides the consistent power and reliability to support greatly improved efficiencies of marine propulsion systems.

With a large market share and multiple hybrid systems deployed with Siemens and their customers, Corvus Energy has the breadth of experience and expert personnel to ensure these systems perform well now and far into the future.