10130562Smart Renewable Energy Generation, Recharging and Maintenance Technology (SMARTGEN)ClosedFeasibility StudiesInnovate UKTransport, 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.