Hybridisation is one of the main trend topics of our time. The most common form of such technology is an electric energy storage, typically Lithium-ion battery, added to a system. Most people know of hybrid technology through hybrid cars, but the same technology is also found in many industries like mining equipment and as well as marine.
“Although hybridisation applications enable today’s most efficient energy use, it would not be possible for us to produce it without collaboration. Both VEO and we at Danfoss need each other’s knowhow and products to be part of the hybridisation market. Battery technology makes it possible to reduce traditional engine usage, which means that engines are not running unnecessarily, emissions are reduced, and efficiency is increased. As the share of electric operations increases, the use of fossil fuels can be reduced,” explains Marine and Offshore Global Director of Danfoss Drives Martti Alatalo.
“For us, VEO is a long-standing and extremely reliable partner because they can manufacture high-quality products and create functional designs. Every order in a hybridisation project is unique, so it is a great advantage for us that the strength of VEO is in tailormade solutions. We can always rely on our joint projects being completed. The market is now getting stronger, and there is a growing demand for hybridisation. That is why we have also focused on it even more than before,” Alatalo continues.
The cooperation between VEO and Danfoss is remarkable; not only because of their long history together, but also because of the geographical proximity of the companies – there are only 30 metres separating the front doors of their offices in Vaasa.
“Things can often be dealt with very quickly when there is no need to travel between cities or countries. This makes the work more effective, which is beneficial for everyone. Since working together has been fruitful for both companies, we have intensified our collaboration over the past few years, and it will develop even further in the future,” says Timo Ala-Heikkilä, CEO of VEO.
Although hybridisation is now on everybody’s lips, at some point the technology will become standard – as with all innovations.
“In the future, other energy sources may appear alongside batteries, and energy production is likely to become even more diverse as new technology develops. Our cooperation with VEO will change as the world changes, so we can only wait and see in which direction we are heading from here,” Alatalo muses.
“But even if the trend changes, the cooperation between VEO and Danfoss remains. The goal is that someday the customer sees only one system integrator in a project, even though there are two separate companies involved,” Ala-Heikkilä concludes.