Cluster Insight With Corvus Energy

– In partnership with Toyota, we will develop and produce fuel cells in Bergen, Norway. Fuel-cells combined with batteries will be a game changer, says Efraim Kanestrøm from Corvus Energy.

This article is a summer re-run and was first published in February

Cluster Insight is a column where we ask six questions to catch a glimpse into the daily business-lives of the partners and members of GCE Ocean Technology.

In a recent column, Ole Angell from Semco Maritime sent the baton over to Corvus Energy, so this week, we spoke with Efraim Kanestrøm, to learn more about him and his work at Corvus Energy: the world’s leading supplier of safe, innovative and reliable energy storage with solutions for all segments in the maritime industry.

1. What is your role in Corvus Energy?

My main responsibility is within the strategy and sales activities within the Oil, Gas & Renewables segment, but Corvus Energy is an efficient, dynamic and flexible organization, so I am also working within many other areas.

No day is the same, and there are always new and interesting challenges and opportunities to grasp. A key element to a sustainable future are green and efficient solutions for energy production, storage, transportation and distribution. We work towards that goal and it keeps us busy.

2. Your primary focus at work right now is?

Our main focus right now, has been the launch of our new products Corvus BOB and Corvus Fuel Cell.
In early January, we launched our Corvus BOB – a complete containerised battery room with the footprint of a standard shipping container.

The Corvus BOB is a complete and type approved battery room in accordance with the latest rules and regulations. This is a cost- efficient solution that will make hybridisation a low hanging fruit. Our main customers are electric and automation companies who buy our batteries and integrate them into a total energy distribution system onboard a vessel, rig or other applications. The intention is to give them a more complete solution.

The installation and integration work will be easier and the time out of service for the vessel will be shorter than we have seen in earlier retrofit projects. It will also be an advantage for many newbuild projects as well. The footprint of a standard container makes it much easier to allocate space in the design phase and reduces the risk in the building phase. I can talk a lot about this, but to sum it up: It reduces cost, creates flexibility (both in construction and operation), improve safety, ease the installation and reduces project risk for all parties.

In the first week of February, we announced the great news:

In partnership with Toyota we will develop and produce fuel cells in Bergen, Norway. Fuel-cells combined with batteries will be a game changer. Suddenly, there will be many more vessels that can achieve zero emissions, at least we will have an awesome range extender. Our datasheet for the product was ready on Friday, and we are now announcing vacant positions in our fuel-cell division, the interest around this has been fantastic and I am sure we will get many new and good colleagues as well as many new interesting projects to work on.

3. Biggest challenges and opportunities for Corvus Energy in the future?

The biggest challenge is maybe the global political situation. The global mindset must be set to forward thinking, to the best for the coming generations. Right now, it seems like it is going in the right direction, but we need stability and long-term thinking. The opportunities are endless, right now we see opportunities for us in most sectors.

My focus now, is to identify solutions to enable greener installations and operations of the offshore wind sector. Hybridization of the vessel must obviously, be the first step, but zero emission operations with charging possibilities at the wind parks must be the main target. Green installation, operation and support is both a big challenge and a great opportunity.

I would also like to mention that we need to increase the energy efficiency in the oil and gas exploration and production area, there is a huge opportunity to reduce energy consumption and emissions by implementing batteries on rigs and vessels.

We have already witnessed the fantastic results from hybridization of PSV’s and there is an even bigger potential on many of the other vessels in the industry. Fossil energy is still valuable, but we must use it efficiently and wisely.

4. Best part of being member in a cluster?

The best part of being members of GCE Ocean Technology is to learn new stuff, meet clever people, share ideas, find business opportunities together and lead the development in the right direction.

Bergen is the shipping capital of Norway and we are evolving more and more in the direction of becoming the green capital. The unique clusters in this region gives us the opportunity to be good together and we in Corvus Energy will do our best to participate and rise to the next level.

5. Your business motto

• Know your past, try to understand the present, set the course ahead and embrace the ride.
• In Libris Libertas – direct translation: in books there is freedom.
• Listen - try to understand - how can I make a positive difference.

6. Which cluster member should we interview next

Hefring Marine.

Thank you for the insight Efraim.