People always say that you have to look forward in order to succeed. Still, it’s sometimes good to look back as well to see where you’ve come from. Recently, I received a visit request from a group of people who wanted to know how The Switch got where we are today. So, I had to…
Category: Blogs
Maritime green transition gathers speed in 2023
In July of this year, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) revised its strategy for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from international shipping . The IMO’s new ambitious target is to reach net-zero GHG emissions from international shipping by 2050. This is a big jump up from the initial target of a 50% GHG reduction by…
4 reasons our PM machines are the #1 choice for direct-drive shaft generators
We’re proud to announce that our permanent magnet (PM) machines lead the market for direct-drive shaft generators. Since 2015, more than 100 vessels have gone to sea with our technology and more than 270 shaft generator orders have been placed. Currently, we deliver tens of machines annually to shipyards via our system integrator customers. What…
Ultrafast protection is key to very large marine battery systems
Incat Tasmania’s new Ro-Pax ferry is a big step forward in the development of all-electric vessels! Powered by the largest energy storage system of any vessel to date, the lightweight catamaran ferry also breaks ground with a number of other firsts when delivered in 2025: “The vessel redefines the future of ferry operations worldwide and…
Big effort to redefine rotating machinery
In 2020, we launched our SRS standalone high-speed machine and the “no gear” marketing campaign. We wanted to show customers who need high rotational speed that we provide an attractive possibility to remove the complicated, low-efficiency and expensive mechanical gear from their systems. Now in 2023, there seems to be push for even further with…
Energy house: testing today’s marine solutions with tomorrow’s fuels
Finding the best alternative fuel source and the best delivery method continues to be an urgent need for the marine world. At Energy House on the west coast of Norway, researchers and systems integrators are speeding the marine energy transition. Energy House is the largest, most comprehensive marine energy testing center in the world. It…
How to successfully commission permanent magnet machines for marine vessels
Commissioning the permanent magnet (PM) machine for a marine vessel’s power distribution or propulsion system is the last – yet still crucial – step in a long, complex process. There’s no room for error and little tolerance for delays. Mechanical and electrical interfaces must match. We at Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch are invested…
Electric & Hybrid Marine Expo 2023 demonstrates high market interest in electrification
We just got back from this year’s Electric & Hybrid Marine Expo in Amsterdam and are energized by what we saw and heard about marine electrification! Wide range of professionals The E&H Marine Expo draws professionals with high levels of expertise in marine electrification and continues to be an excellent opportunity for in-depth discussions and…
Important considerations for the design of industrial high-temperature heat pumps
Why high-temperature heat pumps? Industrial process heat requirements drive global energy demands, accounting for 29% of demand and 15% of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. High-temperature heat pumps (HTHPs) have the potential to capture industrial waste heat and significantly reduce industrial energy use and CO2 emissions. The International…
Our purpose-built marine drive train saves you time and money
Switch tracks to DC distribution What if your next vessel could be built with dedicated all-marine DC drive train key components that would No need to wait. Our marine-specific components are proven and ready for your next vessel –simplified, optimized and uncompromised. And by getting the drives and electric machines from only one source, you’ll…
10 years in the shaft generator business – A short review
Looking at my email history, I see that the term “shaft generator” first appeared in my email conversations in May 2013. So, it has been exactly ten years to date from when we first started to think how we could utilize our permanent magnet technology originally developed for the wind industry in marine applications –…
Reliable power system with ultra-fast fault response time for DP vessels
Delivering a vessel with Dynamic Positioning (DP) classification can be challenging. And the higher the DP rating, the more difficult it can be. Luckily, there are experts delivering DP systems that can handle both the complex force calculations for the steering and the failure modes and effects analysis (FMEA) for such a complex system. But…