An aerial view of the Port. (File photo courtesy Port of San Diego)
VoltSafe Inc., an electrification startup, is the latest company given the green light by the Port of San Diego through its Blue Economy Incubator, beginning a one-year pilot project Wednesday.
Approved Tuesday by the Board of Port Commissioners, VoltSafe is the 12th project launched through the incubator. The company was given $250,000 by the port for its marina shore power and smart marina technology.
“Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation, it’s powered by people with vision, creativity and courage to challenge the status quo,” said Danielle Moore, chair of the port board.
“Through our Blue Economy Incubator, the Port of San Diego is proud to support forward-thinking entrepreneurs who are turning bold ideas into real-world solutions and creating a more sustainable waterfront for all.”
The port began the BEI in 2016 to bring sustainable ocean-based technology companies to San Diego.
VoltSafe’s goals are to make the port’s marinas safer and more efficient with its new shore power system, which “ditches the traditional pronged plug and replaces it with a magnetic connection,” according to a port statement.
The magnetic technology is intended to reduce the risk of electrical shocks, corrosion and other hazards that come with water and power mixing. Additionally, it comes with software that gives marina operators a real-time look at what’s happening with power demands and usage at each slip.
“The Port of San Diego’s Blue Economy Incubator is a global first, and partnering with them signals more than a milestone, it’s proof that VoltSafe’s patented shore power hardware and [Software as a Service] platform isn’t just raising the bar, it’s rewriting the standard,” VoltSafe chief executive officer and cofounder Trevor Burgess said.
“Legacy solutions can’t deliver the environmental, economic, and social returns we can. As the marine industry races toward smarter, low-carbon infrastructure, this collaboration positions VoltSafe at the center of that transformation.”
A total of four of the 12 pilot projects that are part of the BEI have been completed.
In exchange for funding or in-kind support provided to launch the pilot projects, the port receives royalty from the businesses’ operations or technology. It has committed $2.35 million in funding since the launch of the incubator.