Whilst Electric Boats in Australia have been around for some time, will the population of electric powered vessels have to increase substantially before Electric Power Charging Stations become viable locally?
Electric vessels are becoming more prominent in marine industry R & D departments worldwide. As reported in Marine Business News, one such example was seen at the Genova Boat Show this year where Yamaha showcased its HARMO.
In the UK, one marina operator has installed electric boating stations at five locations. This is their story.
UK marina group MDL become first to offer electric boat charging. MDL have partnered with Aqua superPower to install electric boat chargers at five of their marinas, becoming the first UK marina group to offer an electric boat charging solution.
The new electric charging points to be installed at Cobb’s Quay, Hamble Point, Sparkes, Windsor and Ocean Village marinas are a major step forward on their mission to become the UK’s most sustainable marina group, developing a culture of environmental awareness and care amongst their customers and teams.
“We recognised that for the electric boat market to grow, it’s essential that a charging network is developed to service these boats,” says Tim Mayer, sales and marketing director at MDL. “We’re delighted to be partnering with Aqua superPower to be able to support people wishing to make their boating more sustainable by offering rapid charging for electric boats across our marinas.”
Michael Glanville, Managing Director of MDL Marinas said “We’ve chosen to join forces with Aqua superPower, not just because we believe it has developed the best marine electric charging solution at this time, but because its mission aligns with our aim to help reduce the impact of boating on the marine environment”
Aqua superPower has developed a network of fast chargers for electric boats, with a network already installed in the Med. Each station is built to IP65 standard, providing dual simultaneous DC charging up to 75 kW, allowing electric boats to rapidly recharge and extend their autonomy.
“We are delighted to be working with MDL Marinas, who are widely recognised as a cornerstone of British yachting and known for leading the way in terms of innovation,” says Alex Bamberg, CEO of Aqua superPower. “Aqua’s mission is to reduce the impact of boating on the marine environment and to help marina owners with the switch to electric power as part of their decarbonisation efforts.
“While the marine sector may lag behind others in terms of deployment, the massive growth of electric vehicles on the highway has proved that electrification is the way forward. When you’re asking a consumer to make significant investment in an electric boat, you want to assure them they can have the charging that suits their lifestyle. Access to a charging infrastructure that offers a reliable plug & charge experience offering features like charge point visibility is essential for boat builders and their customers if they are to develop the confidence to transition away from liquid carbon fuels.
Alex Bamberg, CEO of Aqua superpower said “This is why Aqua superPower is developing its dedicated marine fast charge network that will be accessible to MDL marina users via the Aqua secure app or RFID card”.
To illustrate the benefit of adopting marine e-mobility, a 10m dayboat powered by a diesel engine, with 480 litres of diesel in its tank, will generate approximately 1290kg CO2 on a typical day out, while an average car generates this amount of CO2 in three months.
Mayer continues: “This is just the first step in tackling marine and air pollution in line with our new Green Strategy, but we’ve put our head above the parapet and are investing heavily for the good of the environment and the boating industry. We’re also looking forward to working with local authorities and other marine companies to further increase the electric boat charging infrastructure, allowing the marine industry to evolve in the most sustainable way possible.”
