Imagine replacing a ship's old-fashioned electrical wiring with a smart, modular system similar to how modern computers use DC power. This makes it much easier to plug in green energy sources like giant batteries or hydrogen fuel cells. It also acts like a high-tech circuit breaker, preventing total power blackouts if one part of the system fails.
Large ships struggle to integrate green energy sources because their secondary power grids still rely on outdated AC technology. This creates inefficiencies and increases the risk of total power blackouts during faults.
A modular DC power system featuring wide bandgap converters, high-density secondary grid converters, and advanced DC protection switchgear.
If you are a shipyard dealing with the complexity of integrating green energy into large hulls — this project developed modular DC power converters that simplify the installation of low-carbon power sources. This allows for faster assembly and easier upgrades for vessels above 5,000 GT.
If you are a systems integrator dealing with frequent power failures and blackouts — this project developed innovative DC protection systems for primary and secondary grids. This improves the reliability of the power supply and reduces operational risks during voyages.
If you are a hardware manufacturer dealing with inefficient power conversion losses — this project developed converters using silicon carbide and wide bandgap devices. This ensures that energy from your storage units reaches the ship's systems with minimal waste.
Based on available project data, specific pricing and cost details are not provided.
The project focuses on large vessels, specifically providing recommendations for use cases for ships above 5,000 GT.
Based on available project data, the specific IP and licensing terms are not disclosed.
The project focuses on a 'Plug & Play' modular design for DC power systems, including both primary and secondary grids to replace traditional AC solutions.
The project runs from 2025-02-01 to 2028-07-31, indicating that validated results will be available by mid-2028.
The consortium is heavily weighted toward commercial application, with 8 industrial partners representing 67% of the 12 total members. This strong industry presence, spanning 8 countries, suggests the project is driven by market needs rather than academic curiosity, with only one university acting as the coordinator.
Contact the University of Birmingham research office regarding the ALL-DC-SHIPS project.
Contact us to connect with the industrial partners of ALL-DC-SHIPS.
