ABB partners with Ferrari Hypersail on DC technology

ABB has entered a technology partnership with Ferrari Hypersail, a 100ft oceanic full-foiling monohull yacht powered by renewable energy systems. As the project’s electrification partner, ABB will provide expertise in marine power, Direct Current (DC) technology and electrical systems.

The Ferrari Hypersail project – first announced in January 2024 – is designed to operate using onboard renewable energy generation and storage. Its electrical architecture will incorporate systems operating at 48V and 800 VDC, with power generated, stored and distributed to support navigation, foil controls, safety systems and propulsion.

ABB has more than 25 years of experience in DC technology and holds more than 700 patents in the field. Its role in the project will include support for energy management, marine electrical systems and energy storage.

The yacht is intended to operate as a self-sufficient microgrid in offshore conditions. Its electrical systems will need to manage renewable power generation, energy storage and distribution while exposed to cold, salt spray, pressure and motion.

“Ferrari Hypersail gives ABB a unique platform to demonstrate how we are collaborating with partners to push the limits of Direct Current technology,” says Giampiero Frisio, president of ABB’s Electrification business area. “Ferrari Hypersail is designed to operate in conditions that are as demanding as anything our systems face in industry. ABB’s role showcases how electrification and automation technologies help industries outrun and achieve record-breaking performance.

“The lessons from a challenge like this can help us advance the resilient, efficient power systems our customers need across sectors from marine and renewables to data centres and industrial microgrids.”

For Enrico Voltolini, project leader of Ferrari Hypersail, the partnership provides the technical support needed for the project. “Hypersail runs entirely on renewable energy,” Voltolini says. “It has to be self-sufficient for weeks at a time in the most hostile ocean environments on Earth. Having ABB’s electrification expertise connected to the project is a valuable operational advantage.”

ABB’s team will support the project with DC system integration, intelligent power distribution and resilience at sea. The company says the project will also help develop power systems for applications including shipping, data centres and renewable energy infrastructure.