Photon Marine to demonstrate floating battery charging system for electric boats in New York

U.S.-based electric marine propulsion developer Photon Marine is set to demonstrate a mobile charging system designed to provide high-power electricity to electric boats at waterfront locations in New York.

The project, valued at $1 million, will combine an electric workboat, a 40-kW fast charger and a floating battery energy storage platform known as ChargeBarge.

Photon Marine received the inaugural MegaBoost award from the National Science Foundation Energy Storage Engine in Upstate New York to support the project.

Floating battery platform to provide mobile charging

The centrepiece of the demonstration is ChargeBarge, a 32-foot floating platform equipped with battery energy storage and high-power charging equipment.

Rather than requiring fixed fast-charging infrastructure at every waterfront location, the platform is designed to transport stored electrical energy between sites and provide charging to vessels where it is required.

New York-based Derecktor Shipyards will build the ChargeBarge as part of the project.

The approach is intended to address one of the infrastructure requirements associated with marine electrification, particularly for vessels operating across waterfront locations where permanent high-power charging facilities may not be available.

Electric workboat to use Photon Marine propulsion system

The demonstration will also feature a 24-foot electric workboat powered by Photon Marine’s Gen-7 P300 electric propulsion system.

The vessel has previously operated on the New York State Canal System as part of a pilot programme involving the New York Power Authority and the New York State Canal Corporation.

Under the new project, Photon Marine plans to demonstrate the electric propulsion system, floating energy storage and fast-charging equipment as an integrated system.

The project is expected to reach its demonstration phase in late 2027 or early 2028.

How ChargeBarge could support electric marine operations

The mobile energy storage platform is designed to separate high-power charging capacity from permanent waterfront infrastructure. Stored electricity could be transported by the floating platform to different operating locations, where electric boats could recharge.

The system combines three elements: an electric vessel, a 40-kW fast charger and the mobile battery platform. The integrated demonstration will allow Photon Marine to assess how these technologies can work together for marine applications.