Energy storage solutions company Leclanché has announced that it will supply a battery system to the MS Jungfrau, a tourist vessel which operates on Lake Brienz in Switzerland.
Built in 1954, the vessel has been modernized with the addition of a hybrid electric and diesel propulsion system and a Leclanché lithium-ion battery setup, consisting of two sets of 12 type 16s2p modules fitted with 60Ah G/NMC cells.
The sustainable solution will be utilized to power various parts of the ship including the engine and lighting. Furthermore, the battery system also utilizes high energy G-NMC lithium-ion cells with a dual cell laminate design and ceramic separators for additional safety.
Leclanché’s battery system can deliver 30 minutes of propulsion in electric mode only and 10.5 hours when used in hybrid operation. When in hybrid mode the vessel can recharge its own batteries, or alternatively, the batteries can be recharged dockside in under 90 minutes.
With the newly installed batteries, BLS Navigation predicts that the annual diesel consumption of the MS Jungfrau will be reduced by 12,000 liters and that CO2 emissions will be 30 tons less.
In addition to the MS Jungfrau, Leclanché will also equip two new hybrid boats ordered by the CGN company for cross-border transportation between Switzerland and France on Lake Geneva.
“We are proud to have participated in the refurbishment of the MS Jungfrau, a tourist symbol of Switzerland, the country of origin of our Company,” commented Anil Srivastava, CEO, Leclanché. “This choice confirms the quality and reliability of Leclanché’s battery systems and its pioneering role in the transformation of maritime transport to environmentally friendly propulsion.”
“We are delighted that we will now be able to glide silently across the lake on the MS Jungfrau for 30 minutes,” explained Claude Merlach, director of BLS Navigation. “This will allow our passengers to experience the lake and the Alpine panorama in an even more serene and relaxed manner. In addition, we are making a valuable contribution to our environment and to the goals of the Swiss government’s Energy Strategy 2050.”