On the Record: Solar executive sees ocean of opportunity for electric vessels in Maine

Phil Coupe, co-founder of South Portland-based solar company ReVision Energy, sees significant potential for electric boats in Maine, both for recreational and commercial use. Mainebiz took a spin with him on Casco Bay aboard his electric boat, the Sea Lightning, for a closer look at the technology and its potential. Mainebiz: What sparked your interest in electric boats? Phil Coupe: Engine noise and fumes have always been the least enjoyable aspects of boating, but when I learned that the average outboard gas engine is 10 times more polluting than a gas car, I started thinking about how bad that is for Maine’s lakes and coastal waters, particularly since outboards inject their hot poisonous exhaust directly into the marine environment. Considering there are more than 100,000 boats registered in Maine, it got me wondering whether an electric boat would be as clean and quiet as an electric car. MB: How do you use the boat and where, and what have you learned from using it? PC: I keep the Sea Lightning at Aspasia Marina in South Portland, and plug it into a 120-volt shore power outlet to keep the battery charged. Recently I took the boat to a concert at Thompson’s Point, anchoring nearby with about 30 other boats. We also take it out to the islands of Casco Bay, including the occasional trip to golf and have lunch on Chebeague or out to Peaks and over by the Portland Head Light. An electric boat can do almost everything that a gas boat can do, except go for a really long distance at maximum speed. I use it to haul residential lobster traps and for striper fishing, pleasure boating, picnicking and sunset cruises. MB: How does an electric boat compare with a traditional gas-powered boat? PC: Because I am hoping to encourage other boaters to consider switching to electric, I try to take out as many people as I can each season so they can experience the quiet, fume-free pleasure of the Sea Lightning for themselves. I’ve found this is a great way to help people understand that electric boat technology is already highly evolved, reliable and cheaper to operate than a gas boat (particularly when gas is so expensive). Plus, it’s so much easier to plug the boat in than it is to fill a gas tank. If you think about it, many boats sit idle for long periods of time between use, which means I can leave it plugged in at the slip and show up with a full battery every time I want to go out. One thing that surprises me is how much marine life seems to be attracted to the boat, maybe because it’s so quiet. We get to see porpoises and seals up close more often than I would expect, and sometimes I can sneak up and see striped bass along the shore when the water is clear. MB: You always have passengers pick up garbage while they’re aboard. Why? PC: With eight billion people on Earth, trash and pollution are huge and growing problems seemingly everywhere, both on land and at sea. I try to pick up trash wherever I am, based on the theory that if everyone picks up a little trash, we will all get to enjoy a cleaner environment. MB: Where do you see the biggest opportunity for electric boats in Maine? PC: As electric motor and battery storage technology continues to improve, there will be options for just about everyone, whether you are a recreational boater or commercial fisherman. There are already electric aquaculture work boats in Casco Bay, and there’s an electric ferry coming to Casco Bay Lines that will service Peaks Island. Fogg Boatworks in North Yarmouth built the aluminum-hulled Heron commercial oyster farming boat, and an electric passenger ferry was recently built by Lyman-Morse in Thomaston. China is already using large electric container ships for port-to-port shipping, and places like Scandinavia are gradually phasing out diesel ferries completely in favor of electric ferries. With Maine’s deep shipbuilding tradition that carries on to this day, boatbuilders here have a big opportunity to start building electric boats of all shapes and sizes for almost every use case that exists today.