Shoreline Aviation Inc., the fixed base operator and airport management company at Marshfield Municipal Airport (GHG), has partnered with Beta Technologies, an electric aerospace company developing electric aircraft and charging infrastructure, to install the state’s first-ever public access aircraft electric charging station, as well as ground vehicle charging stations.
Eversource—the local electric company—and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Aeronautics Division (MassDOT Aeronautics) were strategic partners in making this project a reality.
The Beta-designed charging stations are multimodal and interoperable, providing the capability to power electric ground and air vehicles.
The installation includes two Level 3 fast-chargers—one inside the fence (airside), primarily for use by aircraft—and one in the parking lot (carside).
There is also a Level 2 charger, for use by public ground vehicles. With this, Marshfield is well-positioned to support the electrification of transportation—a key priority of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
“In recent years, we’ve seen nearly every form of transportation go electric, and now that same shift is beginning to happen in aviation in a very real way,” said Blain Newton, Beta’s chief operating officer.
“It’s exciting to be able to fly our all-electric aircraft into Marshfield Municipal Airport on our way down the east coast, and even more exciting to be able to charge it at the State’s very first electric aircraft charger. As we look to make this new technology a widespread reality, investment in infrastructure and innovation-minded partners will be critical.
“We’re honored to have the support of partners like Shoreline, the Massachusetts DOT, and Eversource, who are helping to drive that mission forward for their state and beyond.”
On October 13, Shoreline hosted an event to celebrate the charger and the step it represents toward delivering a sustainable transportation future for Marshfield—and Massachusetts.
During the event, the airside charger performed its inaugural charge, powering up Beta’s all-electric aircraft, ALIA—which the company flew from its flight test center in Plattsburgh, New York, by way of Syracuse. The carside station also charged an electric bus provided by the Regional Transit Authority, GATRA.
Notable guest speakers also delivered remarks, including:
- Colleen D’Alessandro, New England Region regional administrator of the FAA
- Keith Douglass, president and CEO of Shoreline
- Blain Newton, chief operating officer of Beta Technologies
- Tilak Subrahmanian, vice president of energy efficiency and electric mobility at Eversource
- Jeff DeCarlo, MassDOT Aeronautics administrator
- State Sen. Patrick O’Connor, Senate Climate Control & Global Warming Committee
“This charging infrastructure positions Shoreline and Marshfield Municipal Airport to support the electric vehicles of today and tomorrow,” said Douglass. “Pilots of electric aircraft, as well as drivers of electric vehicles, now have a one-stop location for charging their batteries. And for pilots, it’s the only public charger in the Bay State.”
Aviation is responsible for three to nine percent of greenhouse gas emissions, and those numbers continue to rise. To shift this paradigm, Beta is focused on building an electric aviation system to help enable more sustainable modes of transportation.
To do this, the company has developed two all-electric aircraft that are currently undergoing certification with the FAA in addition to its multimodal electric charging network — which now hosts 12 active locations from Vermont to Arkansas to Georgia, and has over 55 more in development.
MassDOT Aeronautics, which oversees 35 of the Bay State’s public-use airports, and has been a long-standing Marshfield Municipal Airport partner, helped facilitate the electrification process and served as a supporting advocate throughout. MassDOT is actively working to advance a state-wide electric vehicle network and is championing this project.
More to come
MassDOT Aeronautics recently received a $2-million SMART grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to plan a smart microgrid that generates and distributes clean, reliable power at Cape Cod Gateway Airport in Hyannis, Massachusetts, a federally-designated Historically Disadvantaged Community, facilitating reliable charging of electric ground vehicles and aircraft.
“By charging electric aircraft, this infrastructure represents a significant milestone toward making air transportation in Massachusetts cleaner and more efficient,” said MassDOT Aeronautics Administrator DeCarlo.
“MassDOT Aeronautics looks forward to supporting the installation of many more multimodal charging stations in the Commonwealth.”
In the beginning
The idea of installing the charging system at Marshfield Airport began as a conversation between former Shoreline employee and business development specialist Geoff Douglass and Beta. Douglass was introduced to the BETA team by leaders in NASA’s Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign.
Douglass, mindful of the fragile environment surrounding Marshfield Municipal Airport and the need to decarbonize the aviation industry, proactively became involved in the national conversation about electric aircraft.
Originally, he said, urban applications such as parking garages were seen as appropriate for eVTOL aircraft. He voiced the idea of employing general aviation airports for the job — that’s when the light clicked to use Marshfield as a charging base in Massachusetts.
But one impasse stood in the way — not enough power came down the street. Enter Eversource. The energy company installed the additional electric infrastructure necessary to safely and reliably power the charging stations, utilizing the Make Ready Program—the company’s EV charging rebate program.
“Innovative projects like Shoreline Aviation’s charger installation are exciting to be a part of as we look to the future of electric transportation and our role in connecting customers, businesses, communities and other stakeholders with EV chargers,” said Eversource vice president for energy efficiency and electric mobility, Tilak Subrahmanian.
“Increasing access to electric vehicle charging is fundamental to combating climate change and achieving the commonwealth’s decarbonization goals, and we are proud of the progress we have made to support Massachusetts as a leader in electric vehicle adoption – including electric aircraft like here at the Marshfield Airport.”
The charging station opening ceremony was also attended by several local and legislative officials, agency leaders, and representatives of the regional business community.
“We’re grateful for the involvement of so many necessary and dedicated players to make this project happen,” said Keith Douglass. “From our airport commissioners, Select Board and permitting boards, to important state and federal agencies, to the extremely talented technologists who developed and installed the system and infrastructure—it truly was a partnership in the best sense of the word.”
This press release was prepared and distributed by Beta Technologies and Shoreline Aviation.
