Sant Carles Marina becomes first Aqua superPower charging hub for electric boats in Spain
by Sabine Raabe 14 May 2022 06:28 BST
The new Aqua 75 - Josep Caparros - Mayor of La Ràpita and Isidre Gavin - Secretary of Territory and Mobility of Catalonia © Sergi Roig
Today saw the inauguration of the first Aqua superPower marine fast charger in Spain at MDL Sant Carles Marina as part of the marina's commitment to sustainable and zero emissions practices.
Aqua's marine fast charger at Sant Carles Marina was formally switched on in the presence of the Secretary of Territory and Mobility and President of Ports de la Generalitat, the Mayor of La Ràpita, the Managing Director of the Ports de la Generalitat, the General Manager of Sant Carles Marina, and various dignitaries and stakeholders in attendance.
As the first marina in Spain to install Tesla electric car chargers, Sant Carles Marina is one of the most progressive port facilities in Catalonia that lies at the mouth of the River Ebro, opposite the town of La Ràpita and at one end of the Parc Natural del Delta de l'Ebre. The port is adjacent to La Ràpita port within the Alfacs Bay offering 1,150 moorings for boats from 8 to 33 metres. Diverse wildlife and exceptional natural parks surround Sant Carles Marina.
"Given the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions, marinas, ports, and harbours are looking to incorporate sustainable technologies and practices into their operations to reduce pollution and mitigate their environmental impact." explained Nicolás González, General Manager Sant Carles Marina. "We have always aimed to lead the way and our decision to be the first in Spain to join the Aqua superPower network, is to become a leading destination for electric boats and the first charging hub along the Catalonian coast marine fast charging corridor."
"With this electric boat charger, another step is taken towards converting the port of La Ràpita into a Green port. Sant Carles Marina is the first nautical sports facility in Catalonia and the State that has an electric marine charger of 75 kW power to bring the arrival of 'zero emissions' boating." said Isidre Gavin, President of Ports de la Generalitat. "The installation of the new Aqua superPower fast charger is part of the Catalan Government's strategic line for decarbonisation and adds to the adaptation of ports to climate change as part of one of the main pillars of the Horizon 2030 Ports Plan."
"This installation is the realisation of Aqua superPower's recent partnership with The Catalan Association of Tourist Marinas (ACPET). We are delighted to be working with MDL Sant Carles Marina as the first in Spain and Catalonia to join Aqua's marine fast charge network. This also fits well into our partnership with MDL Marinas Group." said Alex Bamberg, CEO of Aqua superPower. "Access to charging that provides a reliable 'plug & charge' experience and offers features like charge point visibility, is essential for boat owners if they are to develop the confidence to transition to electric boats. We look forward to bringing clean electric boating to Sant Carles Marina and supporting the Port de la Rapita's wider green ambitions."
Demonstrating that both infrastructure and electric boats exist to make the switch, Swedish company X Shore also offered test rides supercharged by the new Aqua 75 DC marine fast charger at Sant Carles Marina. X Shore has quickly become the frontrunner of sustainable electric craft. Their Eelex 8000 electric boat is powered by intelligent software and is exclusively powered by two state of the art Kreisel Battery Packs (KBP 63) with a total battery capacity of 126 kWh. On a full charge the boat can travel about 100 nautical miles at lower speeds.
Aqua superPower is the first company to develop and install a global marine fast charging network to support marinas, boat builders and boat owners in the sustainable shift to decarbonisation and marine conservation. The network will be accessible to electric boat users via the Aqua superPower secure app or RFID card. The company has been rolling out its global network of marine fast chargers, with recent installations along the Cote d'Azur, the Italian Riviera, Venice, Plymouth and a further 150 chargers planned next year, with substantial deployment growth to come thereafter.
In Catalonia, Aqua superPower partnered with The Catalan Association of Tourist Marinas (ACPET) this year to promote the creation of a network of connected marine fast-charging services for its members. The Association has 46 members of the 53 ports in Catalonia. Through the partnership, Aqua superPower will supply and install its high-power smart grid marine chargers at no cost to the site owner/operator, creating an infrastructure for electric boats and charging corridors along the 700 km of Catalonia's coastline. MDL Sant Carles Marina is the first location to install Aqua superPower's marine fast charger to offer an electric boat charging solution. The new charging point is a major step forward on MDL's mission to become the most sustainable marina group, developing a culture of environmental awareness and care amongst its customers and teams.