Electric boat charging ready for big jolt: Aqua superPower joins 24 GigaWatt pipeline

One of the key ingredients needed for electric boating to expand is a widespread charging infrastructure so people can ‘fill up’ as conveniently as they now can with fossil fuels. The sticking point in developing that isn’t technology or even money – it is in aligning all the necessary elements — energy supply, access to the electric grid, engineering, permitting, regulations compliance and day-to-day operations.

NatPower Marine, part of the NatPower Group and its 24 GigaWatt pipeline of green energy that serves 200 projects on 3 continents, is now bringing that crucial alignment to the world of electric water transportation. It has signed a strategic agreement to Aqua superPower and its international network of marine chargers that already operate in more than 80 ports and marinas across Europe and North America.

Next critical stage of growth

Combining the immense resources of NatPower with the on-the-water expertise and operational capability of Aqua superPower means the electric boating world is ready to leap into the next critical stage of growth.

Fittingly, the announcement was made on the E-dock of chargers that Aqua superPower built with the Yacht Club de Monaco to service electric boats at the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge. More than 400 students from around the world are gathered at the competition, making their own contributions to accelerating the electric transition in the marine world.

The acquisition brings all the right attributes to support NatPower Marine’s ambition of building an electrification ecosystem that includes recreational boating, large commercial ports and maritime hubs.

Scale the network faster and wider

“This transaction marks a decisive step forward for us: we are no longer just developing infrastructure, but building a platform capable of operating on an international scale,” said Fabrizio Zago, CEO of NatPower. “The addition of Aqua superPower to our ecosystem provides us with an immediate operational presence in key markets and strengthens our ability to deliver projects effectively and at scale on a global level.”

Stewart Wilkinson, CEO of ATV Power, added: “Joining NatPower Marine enables us to scale our platform faster and extend our reach, building on the network we have already developed.”

The first Aqua superPower high speed AC/DC charger was installed at the Yacht Club de Monaco in 2019 and has become the linchpin of a network that expands along the coast of the French and Italian Riviera. Similar networks are in place on the south coast of the UK, in Sweden and on the Great Lakes in Michigan, USA. These reduce the range anxiety of electric boat owners and consequently accelerate the adoption of e-boats for both commercial and recreational use.

Aqua is part of ATV Power, which has brought together the leading technologies in marine electrification to fulfill its mission of decarbonizing the economy of water transport. Associated companies include Taiga, the world’s premier developer and builder of electric jetskis; as well as Vita and Evoy, two leaders in high power electric outboard and inboard power trains. The NatPower acquisition is only of Aqua superPower.

Following the growth curve of electric vehicles

NatPower is an independent developer of infrastructural projects for renewable energy generation, providing support to enterprises, utilities, and investors globally. From its website: “The company was founded in 2019 by experienced entrepreneurs in the global green sector, boasts a team with 25 years of expertise, and in just a few years has earned a reputation as one of the most prominent independent developers, actively operating in seven different countries: Italy, UK, Kazakhstan, US, Canada.”

The NatPower Marine division is building the world’s first global onshore power supply network for clean maritime. It delivers fully integrated solutions from grid connection and on-site generation to battery storage and smart charging.

Along with the majority stake in Aqua, NatPower recently entered into a multi-year supply and execution agreement with Tesla covering more than 25 GWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS) across European markets. 

This is the first time that BESS is being delivered and allocated at this scale through a coordinated system that directly links production, financing and execution on a multi-country basis. This moves things beyond just ‘opportunity’ to a concrete local approach that has tangible immediate benefits for industry and consumers.

When resources at this scale are available to the still-young electric boat industry, it is very good news.

We’ve seen in the electric vehicle world that the building and buying of EVs naturally goes hand in hand with the building of the infrastructure required to recharge the vehicles. The same was true when automobiles first started to take over from horse drawn carriages, but no one is old enough to remember it now. In the early days of  combustion vehicles the owners had to carry tanks of gasoline/petrol with them. It took years and then decades for the fossil fuel delivery network to develop.

It is exactly the same with boats. People looking at electric propulsion want the reassurance of knowing that they can conveniently recharge – even if they may not need it every time they are on the water. Aqua superPower has developed, tested and proven the technology and operational elements that make for a successful network and with NatPower Marine will be able to tap into the alignment of resources that enable rapid expansion of charging units and networks. This is a big day for electric boats and boating.

Aqua superPower website  NatPower Marine website

Photo: Stewart Wilkinson, CEO of ATV Power, Bernard d’Alessandri, Managing Director of the YCM, Jérémie Lagarrigue, President of the MEBC International Jury and Fabrizio Zago, CEO of NatPower on the E-dock of the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge at the Yacht Club de Monaco