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When the marina goes dark in a storm

Storms are exactly when a small marina most needs power, for bilge pumps, gates, lights and radios. This page looks honestly at what a 15 kW system could carry at a rural harbour.

Berth power adds up

Every berth with shore power is a socket that might be running battery chargers, a bilge pump, heaters and a fridge. Across dozens of berths that easily passes 15 kW. Rather than promise every berth, the pilot would look at protecting what keeps the marina safe: the boats' battery chargers on a priority circuit, the security gates, the lighting along the piers and the office.

What it would keep running

Priority battery charger circuit for berths
Security gates and access control
Pier and car park lighting
Office radio and CCTV
Harbourmaster's computer

Safety comes first

In a storm, boat batteries run their bilge pumps hard. If shore power drops for days, batteries go flat and boats can take on water. Keeping charger circuits alive matters more than anything else. The office radio, CCTV, gate access and pier lights round out the essentials, all well within 15 kW with the battery handling surges.

Fuel docks are hazardous areas with strict rules. The system is designed to AS/NZS 60079, but where it sits and whether it feeds a fuel dock would be for the marina, its fuel supplier and a qualified installer to decide.

How it works →

The H2OME loop: an electrolyser splits water into hydrogen, the hydrogen is stored in a tank for weeks, a fuel cell turns it into electricity for your home, and the water returns to the loop.

Coastal realities

A marina sits in salt air and sometimes storm surge. The enclosure would sit above surge levels and away from spray. Hydrogen stored at 30 bar or less keeps for weeks, ready for the next big blow. Round trip efficiency is 30% or less, so it is standby power, not a way to lower the marina's bills.

Questions

Will every berth keep shore power?

Not at a marina of any size. Berth loads together usually pass 15 kW. The plan would be a priority circuit for battery chargers so bilge pumps keep working, with other berth loads shed during an outage.

Can it power the fuel dock pumps?

Fuel docks fall under hazardous area rules. Whether the system feeds them, and how it is sited, would be decided with the marina, its fuel supplier and a certified installer. It would not be assumed in advance.

How does it handle storm surge?

It would be installed above the highest expected surge level, in a secure, ventilated enclosure. Being flooded would shut it down, so siting is part of the pilot from day one.

Elsewhere

Every use →

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