Recreational craft represent the largest and fastest-growing marine electric vehicle market in terms of sales, followed by underwater leisure and autonomous underwater vehicles. The commercial marine category is currently the largest marine EV market. Recreational craft on inland waterways, particularly in the United States and Europe, will become the largest sector as more locations, from Germany to India, ban internal combustion engines or, as is the case on SunMoon Lake in Taiwan, users have anonymously agreed to operate cleanly and quietly.
Dirty Ships:
The decade will end with intense environmental pressures forcing owners of industrial and commercial vessels to clean up more quickly. A ship's long lifespan will no longer be an excuse. A large ship can emit the global warming carbon dioxide of 70,000 cars, the acidic nitrogen oxides of two million cars, and the carcinogenic particulate matter of 2.5 million cars. And the Volkswagen Dieselgate scandal isn't the only one!
A long history: much to be done.
Pure and hybrid electric (EV) boats, with temporary or full electric propulsion, have existed for over 100 years. The electric boat Lady Lena dates back to 1890. Currently, the electric and hybrid boat market remains significantly small, representing around 1-2% of the addressable market.
A wealth of examples:
All-electric systems consist of an electric motor powered by a battery. Hybrid electric systems consist of a fuel-powered engine and energy storage used to propel the vessel sometimes (parallel hybrid), or to charge the battery (series hybrid). The report provides a wealth of current and anticipated examples; the sweet spot is the small or medium-sized vessel.
A traditional "electric drive" in which there is no substantial battery and therefore no pure electric mode or even reduced motor is suitable for large vessels: it is seen in diesel-electric and nuclear-electric ships and submarines not included in the report.
Add Retrofit and Electric Outboard Motors.
Beyond new electric vessels, there is already a substantial and growing business in retrofitting hybrid electric ferries and other vessels with pure electric or hybrid electric power transmission. There is also potential to sell hundreds of thousands of pure electric outboard motors annually as they become more affordable and greater energy harvesting capabilities are provided on board to charge the batteries, improving range. The cost of ownership is plummeting due to cheap electricity, energy harvesting, and reliability. The report explains the many recent forms of energy harvesting that supply "free" electricity on board.
Many new possibilities for electric vessels.
For example
: • Greater autonomy is easier.
• Riverboats: silent wildlife study.
• Ski boats: record-breaking acceleration.
• Recreational submarines: fun and independence for everyone.
• Military: little to no sound or heat signature to attract missiles.
• Energy independence by harvesting power from the sun, waves, tides, wind, etc., is easier.
• Workboats: providing electricity on-site for equipment and disaster recovery.
• Tugboats: maximum power from a stationary position and holding with greater precision. Lower initial cost for small vessels and potentially lower total cost of ownership for most vessels.
• Saving the planet by reducing human and wildlife deaths and illnesses from local air and water pollution.
Battery Needs and Roadmap:
Continuous improvements in battery performance and price will drive increasing demand, as will faster charging. The report "Electric Boats and Ships 2017-2027" provides particularly comprehensive coverage of batteries and explains the evolution of supercapacitors and other systems. Although the marine market is not the largest addressable market for lithium-ion batteries, it is expected to be a significant secondary value market because the batteries are often unusually large—one MWh is not unusual. Technical limitations facing these lithium-ion batteries include energy and power density, lifespan, charging speed, size, and weight. Other factors hindering the rapid adoption of marine electric and hybrid technology include the ability to maintain and find replacement components for such propulsion systems. The report is therefore essential reading for everyone in the seafood supply chain, plus policymakers and investors looking for the latest infographics, forecasts and data in a more business-friendly rather than academic way.
Author: Dr. Peter Harrop, President IDTechEx
