Corvus Energy celebrated the grand opening of its automated battery factory in Bergen, Norway. Approximately 450 guests from around the globe attended the opening ceremony, representing ship owners and shipbuilders, marine technology and equipment suppliers, maritime infrastructure, government agencies and innovation centers dedicated to the electrification of the maritime industry.
“There is an electric revolution going on in the maritime sector, and we want to deliver the best solutions in the industry,” says Geir Bjørkeli, CEO of Corvus Energy. “The Corvus team in Vancouver developed the groundbreaking battery solution that accelerated adoption of zero-emission and hybrid marine propulsion systems, particularly in Norway. With so many of our customers and partners in Norway, it only made sense to add production capacity here, which gives us flexibility and will speed deliveries. Further, automated production will help the Corvus ESSs remain price-competitive.”
Norwegian Minister of Local Government and Modernization, Monica Mæland, presided over the official opening ceremony and spoke about the significant role the Corvus battery factory plays in Norway’s goals to be a world leader in environmentally friendly technology. “The maritime cluster in Norway is important for idea development, innovation processes and knowledge sharing among the participants in the cluster. Corvus Energy can both inspire and contribute to new solutions nationally and internationally,” said Mæland in her speech. “When you contribute to the reduction of emissions, you strengthen the entire maritime industry by helping its suppliers get new business and export opportunities.”
The battery factory in Bergen will supply Corvus’ largest market—the growing European market—and contribute to employment in Bergen and across Northern Europe. Built on time and on budget, the factory comprises a robotized and digitized production line with nine robotic stations and a capacity of up to 400 megawatt hours (MWh) per year. From unpacking incoming parts to testing the finished battery module, the entire factory is completely automated.
The Vancouver facility will continue to supply North American and Asian markets, where demand for hybrid and zero-emission solutions is emerging and expected to grow rapidly. Further, Corvus is expanding its Vancouver R&D center and will continue to manufacture the prototypes and production runs of new products.
“We are investing in both of these strategically located facilities to enable us to quickly develop, test and build new systems that can meet current and future needs of the industry. Forecasts of market growth vary, but we anticipate our facilities plans will satisfy demand for many years to come,” Bjørkeli continues.
“We have been involved in some capacity in almost every all-electric and hybrid marine project. This extensive experience has taught us that not one size fits all maritime applications,” says Bjørkeli. “For that reason, we continue to invest in R&D and expanding our ESS product portfolio with the goal of being the leading supplier of innovative energy storage for the widest range of maritime application. We can now offer seven different batteries, each with its own strengths and capabilities.”
