WP Magazine 1 2016
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Edition 012016 Issued by WhisperPower Magazine Power to Grow 02 Autumn issue 2016 | Power to Grow Magazine 03 Dutch yacht builders are currently dominating the global yachting industry. Dutch yacht equipment manufacturers are following in their footsteps. WhisperPower is one of them. Performance, quality, durability and safety are the key ingredients in our super silent systems for Commercial and Recreational vehicles. We offer standard and customized power Smart off grid power solutions. WhisperPower’s customers requiring grid independent power, benefit from our progressive system innovations. Renewable energy sources are our solutions to vehicle manufacturers and the aftermarket. We operate on a worldwide basis, ensuring service and support at anytime anywhere. first choice when it comes to achieving our clean and low emission systems. 02 Edition 01-2016 | Power to Grow Magazine 03 Edition 012016 Issued by WhisperPower Magazine Silence is Contents Golden... Edition 01-2016 Power to Grow Power to Grow 02 Autumn issue 2016 | Power to Grow Magazine 03 Cover page Photo: Oyster 655 (Oyster Marine) All rights reserved So why not use your shore power connection cable for another purpose? 06 14 Power to Grow 06 Editorial from the company founder “New School” explained 08 Background of a new philosophy Funcionality first 14 Interview with Martijn Favot, CTO Hybrid Power System 18 development Interview with Stijn de Wit, engineer Steeler yachts, 22 22 26 Old hand, new ball game Interview with Hans Webbink, CEO A new direction in life 24 Interview with Hans Stacey, Dakar champion At WhisperPower we are driven by a distinctive Parntnership in development 26 challenge: our systems are only seen as perfect when Interview with Victor van der Louw, Yachtcontrol you can neither see nor hear them. All our innovation efforts are geared towards creating silent and low Industrial component and 28 emission electrical power systems ensuring optimal product design freedom and comfort. Interview with Helmoed Robben, Combimac InnovationCluster Drachten 30 helps to perform better 28 Interview with Joost Krebbekx, Cluster manager Sustainable power solutions 32 System approach with solar and wind resources whisperpower.com 24 News 34 04 Edition 01-2016 | Power to Grow Magazine 05 Marine Commercial 5% Land/off grid Editorial 15% Marine t all started with the development and sale of an 45% Recreational inverter that enabled battery current to be con- verted into a stable 230 volts in a safe and reliable way. “220 volts from the battery” was my catch- 25% I Mobile phrase. In those days, that was something new; the in-land waterway captains in Europe were the first to be convinced of the benefits of no longer needing to 10% purchase 24 V suitable devices. An important aspect was the fact that the device, unlike other inverters, did not breakdown under any circumstance. Hybrid The power to Grow Starting a business has In 2015 we, with WhisperPower, raised the bar a lot higher and this has been my biggest and most gradually become the challenging project so far. Taking an existing process, manufacturing standard “old school” generators, and story of my life. Since remodelling it in to a whole new “hybrid” business concept. During a market period which has carried a the nineteen eighties totally different dynamic since 2008, we have devel- oped a product portfolio that more than completely I have founded eight meets the demand for clean, smart, sustainable energy systems with maximum integration of all components. companies which have We are fairly ahead of the game with our “new school” solutions. We have successfully made the leap from all been a success. “small battery and small inverter technology” to high quality high power inverter systems from 5 to 20 kW Hybrid Technology (!), which, when connected to advanced Lithium ION batteries, can support heavy 230 V or 380 V devices. Our hybrid technology basically comes down to Roel J ter Heide the fact that we provide energy to locations where As usual in the development of new concepts, it takes there isn’t a connection to the grid, in an extremely time before customers are convinced of the benefits. durable and often more economical manner. This Over the last three years we have seen a rapid accept- is something we also apply to propulsion systems ance of our high power Hybrid Techno logy with our for yachts and small commercial vessels. We ensure customers on land, water and road. In the automotive that the diesel engine runs as little as possible world electric or hybrid propulsion is a fast growing and draws energy from a battery bank charged by trend, partly due to tax incentives and stricter regu- solar power or wind turbines. Should the engine lations in cities in terms of emissions. The maritime need to be started because the energy can’t be markets are more conventional and “switching” is provided by the sun, wind or the battery bank, our historically slower, but the realization that propul- hybrid technology ensures that the engine runs at sion systems or energy systems must be sustainable, the right speed and delivers maximum power. This is slowly sinking in. Decisions by authorities, such as means that no energy is wasted as happens with those in Amsterdam, to only allow zero-emission pro- conventional systems where diesel engines are pelled vessels on waterways from 2020 will certainly mostly only partly loaded. accelerate the process of changing over to electric or hybrid. WhisperPower is ready! 06 Edition 01-2016 | Power to Grow Magazine 07 Latest generation power systems are smart and quiet WhisperPower scores with ‘new school’ Tekst: LAuRENS van Zijp Photo’S: FRANS FOEKEMA A neatly packaged generator set sits on a pallet in the head- quarters of WhisperPower in Drachten. Ready for shipment. On the label, an address in the United Arab Emirates. Silent evidence of WhisperPower’s international activities, a company operating worldwide and who, in recent years, recorded a sales growth of tens of percent. Under the heading “new school”, the company has taken the next step in the field of mobile power. ou can see, the manu- company in Drachten. And indeed, work at the Drachten headquar- facturing industry still the shop floor is buzzing with activ- ters; the company also provides exists in our country”, says ity and lots of generator sets are work for a number of workers from Ydirector / founder Roel ter being assembled. Alongside the community employment schemes. Heide meaningfully, as he showed assembly department there is an ‘Jachtbouw Nederland’ around his extensive in-house testing centre, Various markets where all devices are mercilessly WhisperPower operates in various subjected to a comprehensive, markets such as the automotive three hour long test cycle. Only section, industrial and civil engi- Worldwide network once they meet all the require- neering world and the maritime ments, are they allowed on to sector. Vehicles require sophis- WhisperPower has extended its Premium Service the customer. Quality comes ticated compact solutions, for Partner network for the maritime market in the first. They are also busy tinkering example for refrigerated transport, Benelux region where, customers can also go for in the research & development ambulances, satellite trucks and a ‘health check’ of their system at a fixed rate. All department, campers. For system critical parts are inspected and checked. albeit in a more A complete range of industrial and Worldwide, the company is represented in around virtual way. civil engineer- fifty countries. There are company branches in There, they electrical components, with ing it is about Germany, England, Spain and Portugal (from make sure that country-spe- which the South American market is also served), the continu- the generator as its core cific projects: China and New Zealand. In addition, there are a ously improved from tempo- number of franchise partners that have the right WhisperPower systems also get rary power sources on building to use the name, including, amongst others, in smarter. WhisperPower develops sites to permanent power supplies 5 Manufacturing Russia. In order to operate in the Russian market, and manufactures, in addition in remote areas without a perma- still exists in the WhisperPower must comply with the Russian to the diesel generators, a wide nent power supply. An important Netherlands: genera- River Register. An approval which carries a twice range of power electronics: bat- market is the maritime sector, tors being assembled annual audit from Russia. According to director tery chargers, inverters, inverter / accounting for approximately 55% at WhisperPower in Ter Heide, ISO certification is the following goal. battery charger combi’s and DC-DC of turnover; WhisperPower works Drachten. converters. Some forty people with both small commercial vessels 08 Edition 01-2016 | Power to Grow Magazine 09 WhisperTouch This advanced read-out monitoring and control device was recently launched by WhisperPower, available in 5, 7 and 10 inch. It provides the boat, land or vehicle owner with an overview of the energy man- agement and enables the operation of equipment. The touch screens can also be connected to other onboard equipment, including the fuel gauge or the navigation system. 64 Testing facility and yacht building. “We provide towards a systems-house that de- for hybrid systems everything related to electricity, livers a complete range of electrical up to 500 kW power. including power generation, ie components, with the generator as generators, with Dutch yacht build- its core.” ing being an important market,” says Ter Heide, “we are relatively Short running time young, yet trusted.” He himself has The mobile power demand is high a long record of service in ‘power and trends suggest that they will land’. His name is inextricably only increase. The present-day linked originally with Victron En- boaters will indeed be separated ergy and then later with Master- from land and enjoy their freedom, volt.