Island Institute’s Phoebe Walsh visits Hylan & Brown in Brooklin as the company works to electrify its boatyard with a grant-supported ePropulsion outboard. Courtesy of Island Institute

The Island Institute recently launched a electric boat toolkit, a free online resource designed to help marine businesses and municipalities transition away from traditional diesel boat motors toward electric propulsion. 

For years, the Rockland-based nonprofit has promoted electric boats in waterfront communities to advance a cleaner, more sustainable marine economy with less reliance on fossil fuels.

Its new toolkit helps guide fishermen and aquaculture companies through the transition. Made possible with support from the Builders Initiative, Maine Technology Institute and Jane’s Trust, it builds on efforts to enhance the state’s blue economy in the face of climate and economic challenges. 

While internal combustion engines rely on thousands of moving parts, electric motors boast simpler machinery and have fewer parts to wear down. Maintenance typically only involves occasional rinsing with fresh water. 

Electric outboards also eliminate harmful pollutants — carbon monoxide, nitrogen and hydrocarbon particles. Plus, as Lia Morris, senior community development officer at Island Institute noted, “as battery prices drop, fuel prices rise, making electric motors cheaper.”

“We’re setting the [stage] for marine electrification in Maine by working across sectors — from local fishermen and aquaculturists to state, national and global partners in government, industry and nonprofit organizations,” Morris said. “[The toolkit] is just one way Island Institute is removing barriers to adopting this technology, which offers economic and environmental benefits for the people who work on the water and depend on healthy oceans for their livelihoods.”

On the tree-shaded bank of the Harraseeket River, an effort is underway to electrify a working waterfront. The project, the first of its kind, is funded by the Department of Energy. It will put three electric boats and two level-three chargers on the water in Freeport and Portland to help with Maine Ocean Farms delivery runs and, eventually, communal charging. 

“Changes or uncertainty in federal funding have less of an impact on this work than other initiatives,” Morris said. “[We] will continue our marine electrification program with hopeful persistence. After all, we exist to boldly navigate challenges with Maine’s coastal and island communities — and we’ll keep at it.”

A tool to enhance climate and business resilience

While electric motors have been available in Maine for years, most boatyards have focused on retrofitting sailboats for private use. The Island Institute aims to reimagine a future for all recreational and commercial users, not just those with the budget to adopt renewable technologies. 

The nonprofit encourages marine electrification to “stabilize operation costs, create and sustain jobs, and protect the Gulf of Maine by reducing greenhouse emissions,” it says. So far, the group has supported the adoption of 28 electric boats statewide. 

The movement began when the Island Institute developed a report with Luke’s Lobster of Portland to better understand the carbon footprint from sea to plate. The main takeaway? Diesel fuel from lobster boats was the fishery’s most significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. 

“The study launched our work creating demonstration boats, upskilling the workforce and producing a shoreside report which will soon be publicly available,” Morris said. “We believe electric outboards are promising for the aquaculture sector and are committed to collecting data that supports that idea.” 

The new toolkit distills four years of research to help locals access information on swapping combustion engines.

“It’s a living document that will evolve as technology advances and new players emerge,” Morris said. “We’ll keep the toolkit current and continue to provide valuable insights for those looking to make the switch.” 

While Morris admits that land-based transportation produces much higher total emissions than marine operations, she noted that addressing this issue in Maine can lead to a considerable cumulative impact.

“If we can reduce marine emissions here, it will have a global effect,” she said.

“Consider the volatility of global fuel prices. Up one day, down the next. With electric motors, you get what you pay for, and it lasts, which helps business owners stabilize costs.” 

Maine Ocean Farms’ Cape Ann Diver often shuttles oysters between Freeport and Portland. Eric Oransky photo

‘Seeing is believing’

The Island Institute has found two main concerns in talks with potential users: implementation feasibility and local charging options. 

To address this, the group is working on a shoreside charging infrastructure report to assess the current energy grid and highlight key gaps. It is also exploring funding options through new partnerships. For example, Coastal Enterprises, Inc. recently launched a fixed loan program for marine electrification projects. 

You might recognize the sweet flavor of Maine Ocean Farms’ freshwater oysters at Jolie Rogers Raw Bar in Wiscasset, Eventide Oyster Co. in Portland or Maine Street Bistro in Brunswick, among other locations. 

The aquaculture farm’s Cape Ann Diver frequently shuttles product between Freeport and Portland.

In an effort to improve business resilience, Willy Leathers, director of farm operations and founding partner of Maine Ocean Farms, will welcome a new aluminum-hulled electric boat and two tender boats in April, and chargers at both ends of the delivery route by June.

Currently, no one can say they have operated an electric boat year-round in Maine. This project seeks to prove that’s possible.

Aqua superPower will supply the chargers, and Fogg’s Boatworks in North Yarmouth will supply the electric boats. 

Leathers, funded by the Department of Energy, will collect data on how the renewable technology performs in the aquaculture sector. He knows other Mainers may be slow to adapt but is convinced it will become inevitable over time. Fishermen, he said, will come around as the costs of batteries drop and they experience the benefits firsthand. 

“As a company, we are forward-looking and open-minded,” Leathers said. “We took this chance to enhance our efficiency and better act as ecosystem stewards. A fuel spill could have catastrophic consequences with two million oysters on the water’s surface. Mitigating risks — environmentally and financially — is crucial.” 

The outcome is uncertain, and the risk could prove impractical, but Leathers hopes that’s not the case. He expects to, at the very least, get answers for those curious since “someone’s got to try.” 

The chargers’ commercial use will be restricted during the trial period. Once validated, they will be open for public use, encouraging other Midcoast harvesters to transition. 

“Eventually, anyone with an electric boat can pull up and charge,” Leathers said. “Nick Planson already has one out on the water in Freeport. Besides us, soon, hopefully, there will be more.” 

Maine Ocean Farms staff hauls oysters onto the Cape Ann Diver. Britton Spark photo

Eyeing Maine’s lobster fishery next

Morris believes the supportive public response to marine electrification stems from the Island Institute’s proactive approach. The institute engaged with fishermen early on to understand their needs, tracked state policies and tax rebates to enhance affordability, and partnered with educational institutions to train the future workforce for handling electric motors.

“More often than not, people will say ‘I’m all in, but I have some questions,'” Morris said. “Our role is to connect them with partners that can provide in-depth technical knowledge and alleviate concerns.” 

In essence, the new toolkit serves as a launchpad. It explains what a green transition for the blue economy looks like, prompting harbormasters and aquaculture farmers to seek site-specific information.

To stay inspired, Morris attends events like the National Working Waterfront Network Conference in San Diego, where she learns about national initiatives.

“It’s exciting to be part of this small but mighty group of individuals,” Morris said. “It keeps me energized and reminds me that our efforts matter.” 

She referenced an inspiring example from Washington. Last year, the Port of Friday Harbor received $7 million in grant funding for a marine demonstration project integrating battery banks, electric boats and solar panels. 

The award was part of a broader initiative that plans to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions by more than 140,000 metric tons over the next decade.

“That might not be realistic for us, but we’re committed to exploring what is,” Morris said.

Leaning into the notion that seeing is believing, the Island Institute will launch an online Geographic Information System component with its shoreside charging report this spring. This will allow locals to explore their immediate geography and evaluate the potential for electrification. 

The nonprofit also plans to hybridize technologies for Maine’s lobster fishery in the future, seeking partners to help roughly 5,000 boats transition.

“Our long-term goal is to build and maintain community, ” Morris said. “In the short term, we’ll continue to break down barriers to adoption and collect data that validates our approach, all while navigating this uncertain landscape.”