Corvus Energy containerized ESS to supply shore power for all-electric tug

An order has been placed with Corvus Energy which will see the company supply its shoreside battery energy storage systems (ESS) to the all-electric Crowley eWolf tug. The solution will use two Corvus Orca BOBs (the containerized version of the company’s Corvus Orca ESS) – with a total energy storage capacity of 2,990kWh.

The all-electric Crowley eWolf tug and its shoreside charging infrastructure is scheduled to begin service in 2023 in San Diego harbor. The maritime technology company is also supplying a 6.2MWh Corvus Orca ESS for on board the clean tugboat.

Each Corvus Orca BOB container will contain approximately 1.5 MWh of energy storage capacity to enable fast charging of the eWolf tug. The class-approved Orca BOB is a modular battery room solution which fits within a 20ft ISO high-cube container. The ESS will be supplied with Orca battery modules; a battery monitoring system; heating, ventilation and air conditioning; a TR exhaust; and a firefighting and detection system. The ESS is designed as a plug-and-play solution to enable easier integration with any system integrator’s power management system.

The eWolf and its shoreside infrastructure has been developed to enable the vessel to operate in a fully electric mode with full performance capabilities, in addition to drawing energy from the energy grid in off-peak hours.

To contribute further to the decarbonization of the maritime industry, Crowley and Shell have signed a memorandum of understanding which will see the duo supporting alternative energy solutions for shoreside and terminal operations, reflected by the use of Corvus’s Orca BOB shoreside battery energy storage system.

“The use of the Corvus Orca ESS shoreside will allow eWolf to charge quickly, potentially avoiding the need to upgrade the electricity grid infrastructure at the port,” said Ole Jacob Irgens, president, Americas, Corvus Energy. “Since the Orca ESS has a high C-rate, it is capable of discharging quickly and safely so that eWolf will be quickly recharged and returned into service.”

“We recognize that the world is in the midst of an energy transition, and we’re working hard to play our part,” said Maarten Poort, general manager, Shell Shipping & Maritime Americas. “As both an investor and customer of Corvus Energy and its innovative ESS products, Shell is proud to support battery energy bunkering as a zero-emission alternative energy solution for shore power.”

The vessel is currently being built at the Master Boat Builders yard in Alabama, with electrical integration being carried out by ABB.