Bigger, safer and more reliable.... - MBF Board Member, Sverre Eriksen (DNV), on the Future of Maritime Batteries
Will maritime batteries stand the test of time? What can help increase it’s adoption rate?
MBF board member and Senior Principal Engineer at DNV, Sverre Eriksen paints a picture of the past, the now and the future of maritime batteries in this interview.
MBF - Please introduce yourself and your company
Sverre Eriksen - Sverre Eriksen, Senior Principal Engineer in the classification society DNV. I’m a specialist in battery systems and have been responsible for developing the DNV maritime class rules for battery powered ships since 2011. Besides from class rules and battery systems I’m working with approval of electrical installations on ship and offshore units.
MBF - What drew you to maritime battery technology?
Sverre Eriksen - Before working in DNV Maritime I have been working with battery systems for telecommunication infrastructure. When the talking about maritime batteries started back in 2010 then it was naturally for me to marinize my battery knowledge.
MBF - There are many organizations promoting decarbonization in the maritime industry, why did you choose the MBF?
Sverre Eriksen - MBF is a network of people and companies that is very relevant for me to be a part of. I have been a member since the start in 2014. I encourage companies to join as a member. Then the network will be even better.
MBF - Contributing your knowledge and simply collaborating with other members was possibly sufficient. Why did you choose to become a board member?
Sverre Eriksen - I find it interesting to be a part of the board such that I can influence the way forward of MBF. It is important to focus on the relevant “stuff”.
“Look to Norway. It is common to have a battery hybrid ship these days. This will happen over the world. …and talking about knowledge that is where MBF fits in to the picture.”
MBF - Looking back at developments in battery technology over the last ten years, what for you could be considered the most significant steps in the right direction?
Sverre Eriksen - I think that the increased focus on the “safety issues” the last ten years is very important. You know ten years ago then there where nearly no battery makers having batteries that didn’t propagate thermal runaway in case of a cell going into thermal runaway. Today that is the normal.
MBF - What do you think is the future of batteries in the maritime industry?
Sverre Eriksen - Bigger, safer and more reliable. …and there will be more focus on sustainability. From getting the minerals in the mines to the batteries are scraped at a recycling plant.
MBF - What do you think can increase the adoption rate of maritime batteries?
Sverre Eriksen - I think that knowledge about what you can use batteries for and knowledge about what you can’t use batteries for will increase the adoption rate. Look to Norway. It is common to have a battery hybrid ship these days. This will happen over the world. …and talking about knowledge that is where MBF fits in to the picture.
MBF - Where do you see the maritime battery forum in the next five years?
Sverre Eriksen - I believe the core is still knowledge sharing. But 5 years ago MBF was focusing on Norway only. Today MBF is representing an international forum of companies and in the next five years I think there will be even more international.