Aqua superPower and its consortium partners have announced the completion of The Electric Seaway project that delivers marine charging infrastructure along the south coast of the UK.
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The chargers are available to any electric leisure and commercial vessels under 24m (≈ 80 ft) and are part of the UK’s Maritime 2050 decarbonization targets. The system is projected to prevent significant CO2 emissions as an important step forward in reducing the environmental impact of marine activity along the south coast.
8 installations along UK south shore
The project was launched in June 2023 with £3.2 million ($4.29M / €3.72M) in funding from UK SHORE (UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions) and Innovate UK as the main delivery partner.
The consortium building the infrastructure was led by marine charging system provider Aqua superPower along with technology company ZPN Energy. Other key partners include the University of Plymouth, South Hams District Council, Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch Council, and the UK Harbour Masters’ Association.
There are eight charging installations: at MDL Ocean Village Marina in Southampton, Isle of Wight Trinity Landing, Fowy, Lymington, Chichester Itchenor, and Falmouth.
The project uses battery-backed ultra-rapid charging technology and renewable energy integration to overcome logistical challenges. The system has been specifically tailored for shoreside applications and is especially relevant for those areas that have grid connection limits.
Battery-backed chargers meet instant load demand
Battery-backed chargers are the same concept that enabled the Candela electric hydrofoiling speedboat to cover 420 nautical miles (485 mi / 780 km) in 24 hours. High speed chargers like those deployed in The Electric Seaway put instant load demands on the electric grid that is difficult for the cables and transformers of some older coastal areas to respond to. A large battery can meet those instant load demands, while being charged at a slower constant rate by the grid.
Read about Candela’s 485 mi / 780 km, 24 hour journey
With the wide variety of use cases and on-shore capabilities of the eight locations, it has been necessary for the consortium to develop systems that can be matched to just about any marine charging site situation in the future.
ZPN Energy has refined the processes for efficient site delivery, and Aqua superPower has introduced a new compatibility service, enhancing interoperability between charging systems and electric vessels. In addition, sensors installed at each charging site by the University of Plymouth gather data to analyze environmental impact.
Electric Seaway shaping future projects
These learnings are set to shape future projects and advance the transition to clean maritime solutions.
James Foster, CEO of ZPN Energy, said: “Our battery-backed charging technology has proven its value in overcoming infrastructure challenges, ensuring rapid charging even in areas with limited grid capacity. The project provided valuable learning around third party chargers, allowing access to a retrofit model.”
Capt Martin Willis AFNI, Executive Officer & Secretary of the UK Harbour Masters’ Association, added that the project: “aligns perfectly with our strategy to support sustainable maritime practices and alternative fuels.”
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