Battery retrofit not only saves fuel, but improves air quality

Since 1950 the shortest ferry route in Xiamen has provided a lifeline to Gulangyu. It’s a highly-scenic ride which today takes only two minutes over the narrow but deceptively 17-meter-deep sound. The current Gulangyu has transported passengers at 150-minute intervals 48000 times annually since 2010. For ten years it used diesel for electric power generation and propulsion, consuming 100,000 liters of fuel each year. In the drive to cut costs and achieve more sustainable

the operation, the ferry sought solutions to reduce the fuel consumption for the auxiliary power generators. The process was a collaborative development project with Gulangyu, Wisdom Power, The shipyard, and contractor, where the ferry was assessed, the battery supply and power conversion extensively tested, and finally the ferry equipped with a customized hybrid power generation system.

From 19 hours of diesel power….

Before the retrofit, the two diesel auxiliary generators were powering the hotel load, bridge equipment, engine room pumps, fire extinguishing equipment and more. With a capacity of 2 x 86 kW dimensioned for worst-case scenarios such as fire on board, the typical load was 12 kW, with fuel consumption rather high at 300g/kWh. To meet the demand, these generators ran for 19 hours daily.

To only 20 minutes

Now, the battery bank powers electricity consumption on the ferry for each crossing of the 1000-m neck of water from Xiamen University to Gulangyu island. To maximize charging time, the staff connect to shore power supply as soon as the ferry reaches the shore. In this way, the batteries recharge whilst the next passengers are boarding. With the bank of 88 kWh batteries installed, the auxiliary generators start-up to automatically recharge the batteries only when battery power levels begin to drop. Fuel consumption has dropped to 209 g/kWh and the daily generator running time has dropped to only 20 minutes!

The tested lithium battery showed multiple advantages over lead acid batteries, including longer life, no freezing in extreme temperatures, lighter battery weight, ability to mount in any direction, no maintenance required, 95% energy efficiency, no corrosion, lead free and does not require a fully charged condition for storage. Lithium batteries also offer faster charging times, charging to 99% in 2.5 hours versus up 13 hours for lead acid batteries.

Long hailed as superior to lead acid batteries, lithium batteries boast more than double the energy output within the same space and the advantage of 70% less weight, engineered for a wide array of applications including golf, solar, marine, RV, floor cleaning, AWP, UPS, robotics, emerging technology and more.

About BSLBATT Battery

BSLBATT is a global innovator of battery storage ideas. Founded in 2003, the company is on a mission to bring LiFePO4 battery solutions to the global market. BSLBATT products power a range of applications including, Marine, Automotive, Motorcycle, UPS, solar systems, RV, electric forklifts and sweeper, Recreation and Industrial applications Solutions and more. The company offers a full range of services and high-quality products that continue to pave the way forward to a greener and more efficient future for energy storage. For more information on BSLBATT, visit www.lithium-battery-factory.com