Spanish company Viltec further promoted its Marconn power pedestal range at Metstrade last November. Launched in 2018, and the recent recipient of some first prize awards for sustainability, innovation and emerging technology, the product is marketed as 100% sustainable – for a variety of reasons.
Marconn pedestals installed at Port d’Aro in Spain.
Marconn is ‘eco intelligent’; improving efficiency and control of power and water consumption to promote environmental awareness among users. Key features include: centralised access control and connection from the marina office; easy maintenance with 360° technical access; ground-directed perimeter LED lighting; individual water and electricity meters and anti-theft system; warning to the user of excessive consumption and disconnections; and monthly bill payment or pre-pay bill via an app. Each pedestal can service up to ten users and the Marconn platform has app and web for multiple customers. A remote control and management system is also offered. Wi-Fi connection points are incorporated in all units. But perhaps the most striking feature is the sustainable and reusable pedestal housing (two pedestals in each of two categories – Urban and Oceanic). The Oceanic pedestals either incorporate recycled fishing nets or bottle caps reclaimed from land and sea. Over 580,000 of the latter, equivalent to 1.5 tons of recycled materials have been used to date. The shells are made of polyethylene, which is non-toxic, does not chip, crack or absorb water, and resists impact and solar rays. Mass colour guarantees that the pedestal colour will not fade.
Marconn pedestals installed at Horizon Marina in France.
Thanks to their design, supply intakes can be positioned to suit customer requirements and operators can also select the type of socket used. Logos or images can be incorporated in the casing and the top door, as well as the registration doors, which offer ample space for lettering or advertising. Any other functional information, such as mooring numbers, can also be incorporated. Real-time management comes via a cloud-based intuitive, multi-platform web application and users can download the Marconn app for full control of their utilities’ usage. Pedestals can be customised to suit any environment. In the BeCharter Cambrils project in Tarragona, for example, a pedestal was manufactured for wall-mounting. Viltec looks after customers by offering regular maintenance and swift spare parts supply, and looks after the environment by planting a tree for every pedestal it installs. Marconn pedestals, fully available for export, have been tried and tested in several Spanish marinas including Port d’Aro (Girona); Port Ginesta (Castelldefels); and Port Forum (Barcelona). www.viltec.net
