**SMARTPOWER** is an innovative clean maritime project that aims to revolutionise how coastal and estuarine ports access renewable energy. The project will design, develop, and demonstrate the UK's first hybrid energy platform that combines **wave and tidal power generation** with **battery storage** and **AI-driven energy management**, creating a modular, low-emission power solution for ports, vessels, and remote coastal communities. Unlike conventional offshore renewables, SMARTPOWER is tailored for nearshore deployment in areas with moderate tidal flow and wave activity, conditions found in many UK estuaries and harbours. The system is designed to be scalable and cost-effective, offering an alternative to diesel generators and expensive grid extensions in locations where clean energy access is limited. At the heart of SMARTPOWER is a novel integration of three key components: a **linear wave energy generator**, a **tidal turbine**, and a **500 kWh battery system**. The wave energy unit features redesigned pontoon floats that use optimised magnet arrays and fluid dynamics to boost efficiency. The **Hydro-Spinna tidal turbine**, designed for low-speed flows (<1 m/s), converts tidal currents into electricity using specially engineered blades that minimise cavitation and maximise performance. Energy from both sources is managed by a smart control system, an **AI-based Energy Management System (EMS),** that balances generation and storage in real time, ensuring maximum efficiency and reliability. The system aims to achieve 92% round-trip efficiency and over 95% operational uptime. The project will culminate in a **12-month live demonstration** (post-project) at South Shields Marina, where the SMARTPOWER system will be tested under real-world conditions, delivering a target output of **50 kW**. Data collected during the trial will be shared with maritime stakeholders, including the **Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)** and **ORE Catapult**, to inform regulatory development and support the wider adoption of hybrid renewable systems in the maritime sector. Each unit of SMARTPOWER installation is expected to save up to **400 tonnes of CO₂ annually** by replacing fossil fuel generators. The platform supports the UK's clean growth and net-zero objectives, while also unlocking new opportunities for green innovation, export, and coastal resilience. SMARTPOWER is funded under the Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC6), delivered by Innovate UK, and represents a significant step forward in the UK's journey towards zero-emission maritime infrastructure.

Transport, including coastal shipping, produces almost 25% of the UK's annual greenhouse gas emissions. If the UK is to achieve its net-zero targets then research is needed into the hard-to-decarbonise sectors such as maritime transport and how these sectors can move to use of carbon-neutral energy. This project, led by Taurus Engineering Ltd, brings together local industry and university partners to deliver an innovative project developing a smart renewable energy generation and vessel recharging system with energy storage using second-live lithium-ion batteries and AI-driven maintenance (SMARTGEN) to enable electrification of small and medium vessels operating in Marinas and within green maritime corridors. The principal barriers to electrification of small and medium vessels are the lack of charging infrastructure, energy stogare, mainly arising from battery aging and range limitations. SMARTGEN will address the current shortfall in full-electrification of coastal shipping once the enabling insfrastructures (modular wave energy generator, charging units and ESS with AI-maintenance system). SMARTGEN consortium will conduct technical and socio-economic analysis of the green shipping technologies both for vessels and for land-side charging stations as the basis for developing the technology. Charging stations will be installed at the South Shields,Hartlepool Marinas and Grimsby Port where use-case vessels will be operatedon commercial basis. The project will use retrofitted (Taurus) fully electric, sub 20m, for the both the feasibility and demonstration phases. Target vessels include workboat, leisure, fishing and small passenger vessels. The South Shields Marina is owned and operated by Taurus Engineering, and would become the UKs first Fully Electric Vessel Marina, catering specifically to the berthing and charging of full electric vessels. The project will also establish a training and skills development curriculum with a focus on clean energy generation, charging infrastructure installation and AI-driven operation and maintenance of battery electric vessel systems. This will be used to train and up-skill new and existing end-users operating within the green corridor between the River Tyne and Hartlepool but also the wider UK maritime workforce. The green corridor to be serviced within this project will pave the way for the establishment of UK green maritime waterways, providing coastal services, and will be an exemplar for small to medium ports and marinas across the UK. Outcomes of the project will be used as the blueprint to drive the operational transition and wider compliance to deliver on the UK Government's Clean Air Strategy and Clean Maritime Plan.

This collaborative project will **develop and demonstrate** a new technology (HIGHFLEX) that consists of a high-capacity flexible energy storage systems (HIGHFLEX ESS) integrated with innovative Battery Management System (BMS); Power Conditioning Unit (PCU) and intelligent monitoring and performance management system (Digital Twin) for mini grid applications in hot climates. The new technology is a portable and scalable system that facilitates: * Quick development of mini grids in SSA. * Storage of high-capacity energy generated from clean power sources during peak hours for off-peak utilisation. * Delivering reliable and affordable power system through innovative solutions e.g., Digital twin, second life battery, real-time performance management and heat control system. The project's vision is to rapidly accelerate access to affordable off-grid electricity from clean energy sources in SSA. The project taps into the expanding global mini grid markets to offer affordable energy access for social mobility and inclusion in SSA communities not served by main power grids. HIGHFLEX will facilitate steady supply of electricity to rural and unserved areas and reduce energy access gaps between rural and urban communities in SSA where inaccessibility to affordable electricity is one of the main drivers of poverty to over 600 million people. This project has chosen Nigeria as a case for deployment of HIGHFLEX technology because of its over 200 million population and majority of its rural population (48% of its total population) do not have access to affordable and low carbon electricity. The project addresses barrier (access to electricity) to adoption of advancements in healthcare system; developing new technologies for agriculture, commerce, education; and entrepreneurship. HIGHFLEX makes it possible to deliver low carbon electricity to unlock sustainable economic development in SSA communities. This will empower women and children to lead more productive lives and have a better wellbeing. This will in turn encourage gender equality by learning digital and modern skills, which gives girls and women equal access to education, healthcare and enterprise. Furthermore, access to clean energy via mini grid will reduce crime and social unrest, since majority of the population would be productively engaged (Bloomberg 2020). This will lead to improved human security and cohesive communities and societies driven by mutual objective for sustainable development. HIGHFLEX will accelerate access to affordable and low carbon clean energy from bio-diesel, solar and wind (SDG 7), which lower environmental impacts from continued use of diesel-powered generators in Nigeria (world's leading generator consumer) to combat climate change effects (SDG 13).

The maritime sector is one of UK's biggest industries, supporting almost £46.1bn in Gross Value Added and more than one-million jobs. Shipping is the largest sub-sector and accounts for over **3% of the world's emissions**. The UK-SHORE estimates that reducing shipping emission **directly create 15,200 jobs and a further 58,400 jobs throughout the supply chain (73,600 total)** in the UK. **RESTORE** (Retrofittable Propulsion System for Electric Vessel with Hydrogen Range Extender) endeavors to tap into these opportunities to create new technology and market that contribute to faster emissions reduction and employment. Consequently, this collaborative demonstration project will develop, test and deploy an innovative propulsion unit using combined battery and hydrogen internal combustion engine on a UK certified Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV), The Princess Royal to achieve Net Zero Emissions (NZE). RESTORE will extend the operational CTV's range using scalable powering and propulsion technologies to mitigate GHG emissions at low cost. This demonstration project bring patented UK innovations that include: (1) **new battery** powering system with reduced sized (~20%) that can detect and isolate defective battery cell, prevent thermal runaway and shutdown to improve performance and safety. (2) **a proven electrolyser and compressor technology** that produces green hydrogen at 70-80% lower cost than current price, which will be used to extend the battery range through an onboard hydrogen engine. (3) **innovative hybrid hydrogen internal combustion** engine with energy management system that maximises the efficiency of hydrogen combustion and can use other clean gas fuels if hydrogen is not available to recharge the battery on board vessel. (4) a **new propeller that serves as standalone propulsion unit** (without altering existing propulsion system) to improve propulsive efficiency and reduce noise. Demonstrations to showcase emission reduction and market viability will be conducted over 40-days from **Port of Blyth** to **EDF offshore wind farms in Northeast England.** Outcomes of the project will include delivery of scalable and market ready Retrofittable Propulsion Technology, lifecycle emissions reduction and positive economic impacts in the offshore wind farm sector and beyond. This provides understanding of barriers to full market adoption and recommend solutions to identified UK supply chain opportunities and challenges. The project will disseminate outcomes to stakeholders and wider industry on key issues including time and cost for retrofitting, human elements, and IMO regulations i.e., CII, EEDI, and knowledge sharing with clean maritime.

Brill Power, AceOn Group and Cranfield University are collaborating on a project to design, build and install a smart, 2nd life battery system at Cranfield's Digital Aviation Research and Technology Centre, made from up-cycled electric bus batteries. The battery system will be connected with a solar PV array and an inverter to feed solar energy back to the local grid at Cranfield campus. This will help Cranfield decarbonise its energy use by maximising the use of renewable solar energy. Cranfield University has more than 1MWp of solar PV generation on its Cranfield campus and is looking for low-cost, sustainable energy storage solutions to help match solar generation with electricity demands. The university also has access to 8 used electric bus batteries, which the university would like to up-cycle for use in energy storage. Upcycling lithium-ion batteries is challenging because there can be large differences in the performance of aged battery cells and conventional battery systems are only as strong and live as their weakest cells. Brill Power has developed a novel battery management system (BMS), which compensates for these differences in cell performance and ensures maximal lifetime, performance and safety. AceOn Group has more than 25 years of experience in designing and manufacturing battery systems and will create a smart 2nd life battery, using Brill Power's BMS and Cranfield's used electric bus batteries. Together, the partners will be able to create and demonstrate a novel energy storage system with a circular economy approach, which helps Cranfield University decarbonise its energy use and save electricity bills. The project will also help Brill Power and AceOn Group create a blueprint for a broader commercial roll-out of this novel technology. The project will enable the partners to overcome a number of challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, including fewer commercial opportunities in the energy storage industry, lower direct use of solar energy at Cranfield University due to lower student an staff numbers on campus, and a lack of funding and project opportunities to re-purpose used electric bus batteries for stationary energy storage.

Energy storage is one of DECC's top priority areas for development, with the potential to massively cut the cost of decarbonising the electricity supply if a grid-scale electricity storage system to balance the variable output of renewables can be created. The challenge for residential energy storage (RES) systems is in providing safe, low-cost, long-life energy storage which can be coupled with renewable energy sources or 'economy' tariffs. This project proposes a scale-up of sodium-ion battery technology through industrial research. Sodium-ion batteries are analogous in many ways to the lithium-ion batteries that are in common use today; they are both rechargeable batteries. The use of cheaper and more abundant sodium in place of lithium addresses concerns of cost and sustainability of lithium ion technology as a residential energy storage solution. This project would innovate the scale-up of the cathode material manufacture from a few hundred grams to tens of kilograms, the surrounding sodium ion technology will be scaled up from single cells of a few Ah to 250Wh modules suitable for 4kWh residential energy storage at lower cost than current offerings. The project would include studies to understand the best design and operation of the cells and also the battery management system for both safety and longevity. This would be the first commercial residential energy storage sodium ion module and opens up the possibility of significant technology exploitation for all the commercial partners from intellectual property, materials manufacture, cell manufacture and battery assembly and distribution.

AceOn Group has invented a revolutionary, market changing, electrical socket called the ClickFit Socket. This feasability study will hopefully allow us to expand into the Far East market as well as potentially the Middle East market. We are hoping to set up licencing agreements with a large Chinese socket manufacturer and distributor. This will then mean we will have a manufacturer large enough to cope with worldwide demand for our product. It will also mean we can genereate revenue from a market that we have no real knowledge of. This will then mean we will have funding to expand our business, employ more people and re-invest profits into the development of new innovative products that we have lined up. The feasability study will also mean that we can establish links with a large connector company who have worldwide connections. Again this will mean they can offer high quality products that can meet the worldwide demand but also introduce us to different organisations around the world that may be interested in licensing our product.