Port of San Diego Launches All-Electric Tugboat Charging Station - Diversified Communications

Commercial, Energy Storage, Microgrids, Solar  -  August 11, 2023

Port of San Diego Launches All-Electric Tugboat Charging Station

The Port of San Diego broke ground for the shoreside charging station designed to provide clean energy for the company’s forthcoming zero-emissions tugboat, eWolf

The charging station is a microgrid charging facility that will allow vessels to recharge  while reducing peak loads on the community energy grid. It is equipped with two containerized energy storage systems provided by Corvus Energy, a supplier of energy solutions in the maritime sector. 

The eWolf is being constructed and is designed to operate while running entirely on electricity.

The station is designed to operate during off-peak hours from the community’s energy grid, which includes a solar power array to support renewable energy use. The technology is also designed to support other electric equipment and vehicle operations.

Each energy container will house battery modules with storage capacity of almost 1.5 MWh, for a total capacity of 2,990 kW. The station will be equipped with a battery monitoring system, HVAC, and firefighting and detection technology.

For the project, the Port of San Diego worked with Crowley, a maritime, energy and logistics solutions company. 

“We are proud to work with Crowley and are grateful they chose San Diego Bay as home of the first all-electric tugboat in the United States,” said Chairman Rafael Castellanos of the Port of San Diego Board of Port Commissioners in a statement. “Their commitment to sustainability in the maritime industry directly aligns with our own efforts and goals to reduce emissions and improve public health in our communities while also supporting efficient and modern maritime operations.”

The eWolf and its shoreside solar charging station are the result of a partnership among Crowley, the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District, the California Air Resources Board, the Port of San Diego, the U.S. EPA and the U.S Maritime Administration. 


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