Leclanché SA (LECN) announced the launch of Leclanché Marine Rack System (MRS), a modular, Lithium-ion battery system to reduce marine vessels’ harmful emissions and their operating costs. Leclanché MRS is the first marine battery system of its type approved by international certification body DNV-GL under revised rules, issued in October 2015.
As safety was a key focus area when developing the MRS, the company performed multiple fire propagation tests to ensure that the battery system performed safely, in even the most extreme situations. With the requirement to pass close to 20 separate tests, the DNV-GL certification process sets the benchmark for battery system safety in marine applications.
Anil Srivastava, CEO of Leclanché, said: “There is a huge opportunity for marine vessels across the world to reduce their harmful emissions and cut their operating costs by leveraging battery storage technology. This is why we developed the MRS and we are delighted that it is the world’s first such solution to receive type approval from DNV-GL.”
The MRS is going to be used on the E-ferry in Denmark, the world’s largest, 100 per cent electric ferry by battery capacity, equipped with a 4,3 MWh Leclanché Lithium-ion battery and scheduled for launch later this year. The emission-free, passenger and car ferry will be able to sail a record 60 nautical miles (110 km) on a single charge. The E-ferry is an EU Horizon 2020 project, the EU’s €77 billion transport and energy research and innovation programme from 2014 to 2020.
According to the company’s statement, in Scandinavia, there is the potential to convert nearly 200 ferry routes to electric within the next decade; Europe-wide over 1,000 ferries could be converted. The Leclanché MRS could also be used in other marine applications including hybridization and peak shaving of auxiliary loads of cargo vessels and cruise ships.
