Faro Electric Boats, a Portuguese company, has unveiled their latest innovation called the Faro PowerDock. This off-grid solar-powered dock addresses the challenge of charging marine batteries for electric boats, particularly in locations where shore power is not available.
While larger docks and marinas typically have access to shore power, smaller local docks and marinas located away from land can pose a problem for electric boat owners in need of a charging solution.
To tackle this issue, the Faro PowerDock serves as a standalone dock equipped with a solar array canopy. The solar panels harness the sun’s energy and charge the dock’s internal battery, with charging times ranging from 8 to 17 hours depending on the model.
Additional solar panels and optional wind turbines can be added to expedite the charging process, while larger battery options allow for extended charging capacity. Moreover, the solar panels provide shade for the boat, protecting it from the harmful effects of UV rays.
The internal battery capacity of the PowerDock ranges from 10.2 to 30.6 kWh. Pricing starts at €135,000 for the lowest capacity model, increasing to €170,000 for the highest capacity model (approximately US $150,000 to US $190,000).
One of the key advantages of the PowerDock is its ability to be installed anywhere, irrespective of local power infrastructure, thanks to its complete reliance on off-grid energy sources. This makes it suitable for remote and private docks, as well as self-contained floating docks.
Faro Electric Boats describes the PowerDock as the world’s first solution of its kind. It operates using 16 solar panels that can fully charge its internal batteries within a single day of exposure to sunlight.
The dock is portable and independent from any power grid. It can fit into various wide berths in different marinas, but it’s also capable of being moored anywhere in the world, even in locations without existing marinas. This allows the PowerDock to effectively serve as a private marina.
Additionally, the PowerDock incorporates a boat lift feature designed to lift boats out of the water for maintenance purposes and to mitigate the detrimental effects of marine growth on the boat’s hull, propeller, and other components.
Currently, the PowerDock is specifically designed to be compatible with Faro Electric Boats’ Faro5 electric boat model. However, the company plans to customize the PowerDock to accommodate nearly any electric or hybrid boat measuring up to 12 meters (39 feet) in length.
Image source: SecNews, https://shorturl.at/bEV19. Image cropped.
