PALM Charger

随着海上风能进入更深的水域，支持船队努力脱碳，寻求支持建造和运营的电动海洋船舶(海洋电动汽车)的充电能力遇到了限制。因此，在野外充电的选择变得有吸引力，无论是在延长续航里程方面，还是在提高海上电动汽车的可操作性方面，否则可能仅限于相对较短的往返海岸交通。该项目旨在试验并推进一种实现离岸充电的创新方法-掌上充电器-商业化。基于阿波罗的Pull and Lock海上连接系统，Palm Charger允许船只从其后甲板通过一次绞车操作连接到海上安装的充电站。只需要最少的定制装备，没有使用主动控制系统，也没有人员转移。连接操作是快速和崎岖的。核心基础设施试验将包括在奥克尼附近的系泊平台上进行为期14天的海上部署测试平台。一艘海上船只将使用原型Palm充电器系统在一系列海域进行重复连接和断开。项目目标包括：*展示近海环境中的机械连接系统*展示电气连接系统的功能*建立对船舶装卸操作的了解*积累系统操作的可靠性数据*建立对监管和认证背景的了解*改进商业设计*制定营销计划和商业案例。阿波罗将提供全面的项目管理和工程，提供其Palm Charger系统的原型，并发展营销计划和设计开发。欧洲海洋能源中心(EMEC)将领导测试行动，与LeaskMarine合作建立一个测试台，并进行船舶连接/断开操作。作为一家海事承包商，LeaskMarine代表着一群潜在的未来客户，向他们介绍海事业务的实用性和市场兴趣。因此，该项目的成果将促进与对创新持开放态度的开发商的对话，同时需要可靠性证据来支持银行可行性决策。虽然该项目将重点放在英国海上风能的使用案例上，但市场的国际扩张将提供出口机会。还有许多其他部门也适用于海上电动汽车的离岸充电。

As offshore wind pushes into deeper waters and the supporting fleet strives to decarbonise, limitations are encountered in the charging capacity of electrically-powered marine vessels (marine EVs) that seek to support construction and operations. The option to recharge in the field therefore becomes attractive, both in terms of extending range, and also increasing the workability of marine EVs that might otherwise be confined to relatively short transits to and from shore.This project seeks to trial and advance to commercialisation an innovative method of achieving recharging offshore, the PALM Charger. Based on Apollo's Pull and Lock Marine connection system, the PALM Charger allows a vessel to hook up to an offshore mounted charging point in a single winching operation from its back deck. Minimal bespoke outfitting is needed, no active control systems are used and there is no personnel transfer. The connection operation is swift and rugged.The core infrastructure trials will comprise a 14-day offshore deployment of a test rig onto a moored platform off Orkney. A marine vessel will make repeated connections and disconnections using the prototype PALM Charger system in a range of seastates. Project objectives include:* Demonstrating the mechanical connection system in an offshore environment* Demonstrating the functionality of the electrical connection system* Building understanding of the vessel handling operations* Accumulating reliability data on the system operation* Building understanding of the regulatory and certification context* Refining the commercial design* Developing a marketing plan and business case.Apollo will provide overall project management and engineering, providing their prototype PALM Charger system and evolving the marketing plan and design development. The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) will lead the testing operations, working with Leask Marine to set up a test rig and undertake vessel connection/ disconnection operations. As a marine contractor, Leask Marine represent a group of potential future customers, informing the marine operational practicalities and market interest.The outputs of the project will thus advance conversations with developers who are open to innovations, while requiring evidence of reliability to support bankability decisions. While this project focuses on UK offshore wind as a use case, the international expansion of the market will present export opportunities. There are also numerous other sectors where offshore charging of marine EVs would have an application.