Forsee Power, which supplies battery systems for commercial and industrial vehicles, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Rolls Royce. The two companies are planning an initial five-year strategic partnership to develop advanced battery electric propulsion solutions for industrial and transport applications.

They said the collaboration “aims to significantly advance electrification and the energy transition in industrial applications”.

As part of the agreement, Forsee Power will be the main supplier of battery systems to electrification projects from Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems division. The two groups will combine their expertise to design high-performance battery systems “that meet the highest performance standards with a strong emphasis on cybersecurity and sustainability”.

Forsee claims more than 5,000 heavy vehicles and 145,000 low-emission vehicles have been equipped with its batteries. The Group also offers battery leasing and second-life solutions for transport batteries. Rolls-Royce’s MTU division provides engines, currently diesel-fuelled, for heavy duty mining applications. Electrification is thought to be at least a decade away - Alex Phillips, energy transition analyst at GlobalData, recently told Mining Technology that large-scale deployment of battery-electric trucks in mining was “still years away, due to challenges such as battery limitations and the massive surge in power demand that will occur due to full electrification”. He added that “As a result, it is expected to become widely available in mining by 2040”. However he suggested electrification would precede hydrogen, which he describes as a ‘nascent’ technology, he said, with potential commercial viability “between 2040 and 2050”.

Christophe Gurtner, chairman and chief executive at Forsee Power, said: “This partnership between Forsee Power and Rolls-Royce reflects a shared commitment to innovation and energy transition. Our battery systems, offering dedicated to very demanding applications, meets the needs of Rolls-Royce to rely on one battery expert in the electrification of their applications.”

Janet is currently the editor of New Power (www.newpower.info), a monthly report and database on UK power sector development and the UK’s evolving energy industry. She has been a journalist covering the power and energy sector for 25 years, covering technology, policy and politics as editor of magazines including Power Engineering, Asian Electricity, Middle East Electricity and Utility Week.View full Profile

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