Cyan Energy Receives NOK 1 million in Enova Support to Develop Floating Charging Concept
Cyan Energy has developed a concept for fast charging that is disconnected from the power grid. With the project funding, they will further develop the fast-charging concept for cars, public transportation, high-speed ferries.
"The concept has been tested on land, and we now want to develop a multifunctional floating charging station," says Cyan Energy’s CEO, Bjørn Bjerke.
In June, the energy- and technology company opened its first hybrid charging station for electric vehicles in Hareid. Decoupling from the power grid is central to the patented charging concept, which produces and stores energy on-site, allowing them to deliver high power, regardless of the number of cars charging simultaneously.
The company has now received support for a preliminary project from Enova, where they will assess the possibility of building charging infrastructure for both buses and private vehicles, as well as develop a floating energy station for high-speed ferries.
The floating charging station and charging hub will have batteries and hydrogen equipment housed in enclosed underwater storage and will supply customers through three charging points with a capacity of up to 1,000 kW each.
What distinguishes Cyan Energy and its technology from other solutions, is that Cyan Energy generates its own energy. This means that the technology contributes new, in-demand renewable energy to society. While other charging concepts are limited by available power grid capacity, Cyan Energy uses batteries, hydrogen storage tanks, fuel cells, and renewable energy production to produce, store, and deliver electricity. This enables the charging station to be placed off-grid in areas where available grid capacity is low.
There is no doubt about the need for new charging solutions: The Norwegian government’s climate policy aims for 100% zero-emission vessels in new public procurements for high-speed ferries and ferry services starting in 2025. Through the “high-speed ferry program,” a proposal has been made to allocate NOK 200 million for the implementation of zero-emission solutions on selected routes.
"When the charging infrastructure is established by private actors, this can reduce emissions and costs for the public sector through savings on infrastructure development, fuel, and reduced CO2 tax," says Bjerke.
The company's development and scaling of solutions are ongoing. In their development work, Cyan Energy has engaged veterans Gilles Gillesen (formerly of Ship Equip) and Arne Mehl (Formerly of ÅKP) in business development and commercialization of Cyan Energy’s unique energy solutions. The company is currently focused on several market segments where electrification offers substantial benefits for society and project owners. The transport and construction sectors have significant potential for emission and tax reduction, which can be exploited through new solutions. In these industries, it is natural that the public sector leads the way. The Enova-supported project is thus an important signal and a major motivator, in addition to the interest the company is currently receiving both regionally, nationally, and internationally.
"Floating chargers can help drive electrification in, among other things, high-speed ferry traffic. With support programs for new procurements and new charging solutions that address grid capacity challenges, everything is in place for cost-effective emission reductions," says Mehl.
It’s not only Enova that has recognized the energy company.
Recently, Cyan Energy was nominated for “Team of the Year” at the IDC conference.
The reason was the strong local collaboration team that contributed to the development of the charging concept and station in Hareid. This included Ulmatec Handling Solutions, ACEL, Agile Interactive, and Furnes Design, in addition to Cyan Energy itself. Ultimately, it was Aidency that took home the prestigious award.
Several project partners will also continue into the preliminary project.
"We are now ready to start the new preliminary project and look forward to what we can achieve this time," concludes Bjerke.
The Enova-supported preliminary project is led by Cyan Energy with partners Ulmatec Handling Systems (hydrogen and energy system design), Conmuto (project management and control system design), Agile Interactive (communication system), Furnes Design (design lead), and Møre og Romsdal County Municipality (end-user). The project has been granted NOK 1,000,000.
