Halifax, Nova Scotia May 30th, 2024 – Pioneer in grid-integration intelligence for electric vessels BlueGrid, global market leader in high-output electric motor systems Evoy, and aluminum boat manufacturer ABCO announced today successful demonstration of the first high-power vessel-to-grid (V2G) globally. This innovative V2G technology allows bi-directional power transfer between electric vessel bateries and electricity grids, bringing new revenue for vessel owners and much needed energy storage to electricity grids for balancing intermitent renewable electricity generation.
“Today’s announcement is a world-first for the electric boating industry and a key milestone in the maritime sector’s transition to electric,” said Leif Stavøstrand, CEO of Evoy. “Combating climate change and achieving net zero requires substantial contributions from the maritime sector. Electric vessels are not only zero-emission, their batery capacity can also deliver crucial support to the grid, amplifying the potential to utilize renewable energy and further reduce emissions on a macro-scale.”
“This achievement demonstrates our commitment to building data and intelligence solutions that forge pathways from vessel owners to electricity grids, enabling those participating to achieve financially rewarding net-zero goals together,” said Andrew Boswell, CEO of BlueGrid. “The collaboration between BlueGrid, Evoy, ABCO and leading V2G charging system manufacturer BorgWarner verifies that vessel-to-grid is commercially feasible with the potential to accelerate the adoption of electric vessels around the world.”
New vessel-to-grid revenue streams for vessel owners further reduce the total cost of ownership of electric vessels, providing an important additional incentive for those in the marine sector to shi to sustainable options. While plugged in, electric vessels can cost-effectively bridge gaps in wind and solar electricity generation by providing grid support during peak electricity supply and demand periods without negatively impacting vessel operations.
“We would like to congratulate BlueGrid and its partners on this important milestone in the pursuit of electrification in the marine sector. We are excited to work with local and global innovators on new approaches to support the electrical grid of the future for our customers,” said Lia MacDonald, Vice President, Customer Experience and Innovation, Nova Scotia Power.
V2G requires technical integration across marine electrification and utility supply chains. This vessel-to-grid success required the real-time integration of Evoy’s electric propulsion system in a boat built by ABCO and BorgWarner’s bi-directional charger, overseen by BlueGrid technology to enable optimal grid integration and interaction.
“ABCO is a leader in commercial boat building. This is the next step in evolution of the marine industry and we intend to be at the forefront delivering robust, recyclable aluminum hulls as well as hybrid and zero emission vessels.” said Colin Ross, R&D Coordinator, ABCO Industries.
According to boating industry associations there are 17.9 million carbon-powered vessels in US and Europe alone, and scaling vessel-to-grid is a key to unlocking the full financial and environmental value of electric vessels for both marine and grid.
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