The BlueStor project was created by MSE International and funded by the UK government's Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) in its Long Term Energy Storage (LODES) competition.
The initial stages of a project have drawn up detailed plans to develop the UK's first floating organic flow battery energy storage project to provide port energy storage and shore power decarbonisation for two cruise ships.
Feasibility studies for the BlueStor project found that large 50MW/600MWh units are generally more compact than equivalent Li-ion units. The company says organic flow batteries are ideal for large-scale, high-capacity energy storage applications, especially in places with high environmental sensitivity, such as ports and coastal areas.
The results of the feasibility study have given the developer confidence to apply for funding for the second phase of the construction and operation of a commercial prototype of an organic flow battery on a floating barge, which will be sent to two people while at anchor in Portsmouth A visiting cruise ship powers UK international ports.
Phase 2 of BlueStor will also demonstrate the ability to source the energy supplied to these ships when demand is low.
MSE International is BlueStor's key partner; energy and battery company Swanbarton is supporting battery engineering and construction and associated controls and interfaces; marine and marine engineering and cleantech company Houlder is designing battery platforms and port/ship interfaces, and CMBlu is supporting Flow batteries provide electrochemical materials.
BlueStor has a Long Term Energy Storage (LODES) contract with BEIS.
LODES is part of the UK government's 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution and is a key commitment by the BEIS and HM governments.
