The Portuguese company Faro Electric Boats has just pulled the cover off of the new Faro PowerDock. The off-grid electric dock and boat lift is powered by a solar array, offering recharging opportunities even when shore power isn’t an option.
As more electric boats hit the market, charging those marine batteries has become a larger issue. Most decent sized docks and marinas have plenty of access to shore power since even non-electric boats will often make use the hookups for powering devices while docked.
But local docks and marinas with moorings away from land can present a problem for electric boat owners seeking a plug.
That’s where the Faro PowerDock is designed to help. The standalone dock has a canopy comprised of a solar array that can charge the dock’s internal battery in between 8-17 hours of sun, depending on the model. More solar panels as well as optional wind turbines help shorten the charging time, while larger battery options lengthen the total charge time. The panels also do double duty of providing shade for the boat, reducing the harmful effect of UV rays on the boat’s materials.
The dock offers between 10.2 to 30.6 kWh of internal battery capacity. Prices start at €135,000 for the lowest capacity model and increase to €170,000 for the highest capacity model (approximately US $150,000 to US $190,000).
Because the PowerDock is completely recharged by off-grid energy sources, it can be installed anywhere regardless of local power options. That means remote and private docks or even self-contained floating docks are an option.
As the company explained:
The Faro Powerdock is the first solution of its kind in the world. It is powered by 16 solar panels that charge its internal batteries in a single day in the sun. It is towable, and absolutely independent from any power grid. It fits into any wide berth on any Marina but can be moored anywhere in the world, even where there are no marinas, since it can be your very own private marina.
The PowerDock also includes a boat lift designed to raise a boat out of the water for maintenance as well as to reduce the damaging effects of marine growth on the boat hull, propellor and other components.
For now, the PowerDock is designed to work with the Faro5 model of electric boat produced by the same company. But the company says that they will be customizing the PowerDock to be compatible with nearly any electric or hybrid boat up to 12 meters (39 feet).
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