Email News June 2020
Welcome to the June 2020 Email Newsletter from Marine South East
If you would like to submit an article for consideration please email the text and a suitable image or logo to sj@mseuk.org
Posted 2020-05-14 13:30:50
MSE leads new project to validate the use of Flow Batteries in achieving zero-emission marine propulsion
A new project, FLO-MAR, has successfully attracted funding from MarRI-UK’s Clean Maritime Call to assess the feasibility of using innovative flow batteries in vessels to enable zero-emission marine propulsion and auxiliary power.
Four UK organisations will be working together on the project to investigate how the design of electric and hybrid ships, from ferries through to tugs and wind farm vessels, can be optimised to accommodate flow batteries and to assess the advantages this technology offers in comparison with existing lithium-ion batteries and hydrogen fuel-cells.
Flow batteries have the potential to offer much faster charging in port, coupled with cost-effective, high-capacity storage, however they have not yet been configured for marine applications. The FLO-MAR project will select the vessel types and operating situations most suitable for flow batteries and will develop an outline vessel design to validate the advantages offered by this battery type.
The Flow-Mar project will be instrumental in assisting the UK to achieve The Clean Maritime Plan's goal of 'zero emission vessels operating in UK waters' by enabling the replacement of fossil fuel combustion with electric propulsion. Preliminary investigations suggest that flow batteries could be particularly well suited to a variety of vessels including domestic passenger vessels as well as offering a possible solution for shore-power systems in ports.
The Flow-Mar project brings together a consortium of 4 organisations with considerable expertise including Houlder, naval architects with broad experience in vessel design; Swanbarton, specialists in energy storage and control technologies for electrical power systems; Lloyd's Register, a classification society with expertise in risk assessment and certification and Marine South East, a marine cluster with expertise in delivering innovation projects and commercialisation roadmaps.
For more information please contact Jonathan Williams jw@mseuk.org
Posted 2020-05-14 13:35:24
Government launched new £40 million Clean Growth Fund to supercharge green start-ups
The government is launching a new effort to support green start-up companies across the UK, joint-funding a £40 million venture capital fund to supercharge the development of next generation clean, low-carbon technologies.
The Clean Growth Fund will contribute towards the UK's plans to reach Net Zero by 2050 and will be accessible to UK-based companies driving green technology across the power, transport, waste, and building energy efficiency sectors. Potential examples of projects the fund could support include:
* energy storage and smart grid systems to bolster resilience in the power system
* renewable heating and ventilation technologies across homes and commercial buildings
* bio-fuels and bio-energy systems
With £20 million of government investment matched pound for pound by CCLA, one of the UK's largest charity fund managers, the fund could reach £100 million by Autumn 2021 through private sector fundraising.
More information can be found at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-launches-new-40-million-clean-growth-fund-to-supercharge-green-start-ups
And on the Clean Growth Fund website: https://www.cleangrowthfund.com/
Posted 2020-05-27 09:51:05
New project to pilot smart energy technologies at Portsmouth International Port
Marine South East is leading a new project, PESO to pilot smart energy technologies at Portsmouth International Port to improve air quality, reduce carbon emissions and facilitate the electrification of port operations.
The PESO project, co-funded by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, will show how ports can use smart grid technology and sophisticated management software to reduce atmospheric emissions and improve air quality whilst optimising energy costs.
The PESO pilot system to be deployed in Portsmouth International Port will integrate local electricity generation, novel energy storage and smart energy management to demonstrate how ports can meet emerging on-shore power demands and the requirements of ships as they increasingly use shore power and adopt electric propulsion whilst minimizing the need for expensive grid upgrading and optimising the use of variable tariffs.
Three main areas of innovation will be explored in the PESO pilot; the design and construction of novel dual-chemistry battery technology to meet the port requirements; advanced management software to optimise onsite energy generation and storage and the development of smart port grid infrastructure.
Energy management software will be developed by Swanbarton, specialists in energy storage and control technologies, the Energy Systems Catapult will assess the future energy requirements around ports and the long term impact on the energy system. Marine South East is leading the project and will plan how the technology can be commercialised and rolled out across UK ports as rapidly as possible.
Jonathan Williams, CEO of Marine South East, noted, “Cleaning up maritime emissions is now an urgent priority for the maritime sector and the PESO project will be a critical stepping-stone to achieve this. Marine South East is delighted to be leading this project to build a prototype system for advanced energy management in Portsmouth International Port with specialists Swanbarton and the Energy Systems Catapult. This will pave the way for decarbonisation and other emissions reduction across the port estate.”
Mike Sellers, Port Director at Portsmouth International Port said: "As a port that is owned by the people of Portsmouth, we are committed to take bold action to meet our goal to be the UK's first zero emission port. This innovative project will enable the port to maximise the amount of renewable energy it can produce and use for its own operations including powering electric vehicles to replace diesel and reduce emissions. This initiative has the potential to have significant benefits for the port, and could also provide a solution to smart energy use that can be shared with the wider port industry."
Anthony Price, MD of Swanbarton said, “Energy management combined with energy storage are powerful tools to unlock the benefits of smart energy networks. We are pleased to be working with Marine South East, Portsmouth International Port and the Energy Systems Catapult as we transfer our experience of integrating energy storage systems to facilitate the electrification of port operations.”
Further updates about the project will be communicated via this newsletter as the project progresses.
Posted 2020-05-29 12:59:49
Maritime Views Needed
Thank you to all those who completed the Maritime Survey during April 2020; with new interventions being announced and extended by the Government, the survey has been extended and updated.
Solent LEP and Maritime UK are keen to hear from maritime businesses about how commerce is being affected.
Whether you completed the previous survey, or not, they would really appreciate you taking a few minutes to share your views in the updated survey. This is businesses' opportunity to directly influence the government's response now, and plans for recovery.
Please find the survey at the following link:
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/VVKF7JN
Please email enquiries@solentlep.org.uk if you would like to expand on any points not covered in the survey.
Posted 2020-05-26 11:01:38
KTN-iX Challenge to Improve Crew Boat Safety
KTN-iX has launched a call seeking a solution to increase the physical separation of technicians in the confined spaces of offshore crew transfer vessels.
Social distancing rules in operation during the Covid-19 pandemic are forcing some operators to limit offshore crew transfer vessels operations to a maximum of four passengers.
This impacts the amount of work that can be undertaken on a wind farm, affecting jobs and ultimately energy production.
The KTN-iX challenge has been launched in search of a rapid solution to address the physical separation of technicians in the confined spaces onboard vessels.
The new challenge launched by KTN, is in partnership with Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, offshore wind health and safety group G+ and the Workboat Association.
For more information please visit:
https://ktn-uk.co.uk/news/ktn-ix-has-a-new-innovation-challenge-to-improve-the-safety-of-offshore-technicians-during-covid-19?utm_campaign=1744122_Transport%20update%20May%2020&utm_medium=email&utm_source=dotdigital&dm_i=2VFU,11DRU,6MZOJJ,3YHPM,1
Posted 2020-05-26 10:42:48
Solent LEP Coronavirus Support Hub
Following the announcement of Government's first sketch of a road map for reopening society, Solent LEP have launched a free online tool to help businesses start to develop their own road map to restart, restore and recover.
The Covid-19 Business Support Tool provides businesses in the Solent with an invaluable review of their current position in a range of key areas, including; business strategy and operations, sales and marketing, supply chain, customers and clients, employees and people management and finance.
Developed to support Solent-based businesses adjust to the gradual easing of measures taken in response to Covid-19, the tool creates a bespoke report on their current position, and bench-marks them against others in their industry, it also provides tailored information on what actions to take to access support in the areas where it is most required.
To find out more please visit:
https://solentlepcovid19.benchmarkindex.com/#/solent-covid-login
Posted 2020-05-26 10:35:30
New Solent recruitment service launched
The Solent Jobs Fuse is a new service helping those whose jobs have been affected by Coronavirus in the local area get back into employment, as well as supporting local employers to fill gaps in their staffing due to the pandemic and to support any staff facing redundancy.
The service is a joint partnership created by the National Careers Service and the Solent LEP and further information, including dedicated telephone helplines for individuals and employers.
The service is available to local employers due to make redundancies who can contact a dedicated telephone number to find out about careers advice and additional support available to staff.
More information can be found at the following location:
https://solentlep.org.uk/media/3047/solent-jobs-fuse-flyer.pdf
Posted 2020-05-26 10:55:57
Virtual Skills Workshop for Business Leaders, 5th June 2020 online
Join this session, hosted by Business South Events, for top tips from a group of experts and learn how to motivate yourself and others.
You're working from home, you're feeling isolated, the crisis is pervasive and the lockdown sucks. You've got family responsibilities and you may be furloughed, you may also be looking at risk of redundancy.
Home life and work life are surprisingly fast moving and you're dealing on an hour by hour basis with uncertainty and ambiguity..
Your starting to realise your future 3 months ago may not be the same future post Covid, so how do you motivate yourself and your team members when you're means of contact is no longer face to face?
Join this free online session for top tips from a group of experts and learn how to motivate yourself and others.
Email bookings@businesssouth.org to register your place on this course.
