Ensuring the future resilience of energy infrastructure

It’s called Sea Cucumber. Prototype hybrid diesel fishing boat manufactured by Glas Ocean Electric in Nova Scotia.

If you plug it in, it will charge overnight. It’s rated at 98 kilowatt hours, so you can drive to the fishing spot on diesel fuel, run for six to eight hours on electric power, and then drive home on diesel fuel.

“You can now take your eight-hour workday and replace six or seven of those hours with cheap electricity instead of diesel,” Brad Purdy, director of engineering for Glas Ocean Electric, tells The Weather Network.

Sea Cucumber boat presented by Glas Ocean Electric | Nathan Coleman

The boat, which could deliver fuel savings of 50 to 70 per cent, was unveiled as part of the Government of Nova Scotia’s announcement to establish a new Fisheries and Aquaculture Energy Efficiency Innovation Fund for the province.

Glas Ocean electric is one of the first two research projects to receive support from the fund.

“Starting today, we are accepting project proposals that increase energy efficiency, reduce emissions or collect data and information that can be shared widely,” announced Nova Scotia Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Kent Smith.

Nova Scotia Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Kent Smith Announces Innovation Funds | Nathan Coleman

Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance Executive Director Kris Vascotta took to the podium set up at the working fishing wharf in Eastern Passage to tout the fund’s potential.

“This program will provide the seed needed to reduce costs, demonstrate success and ensure the future resilience of our energy infrastructure and our ability to withstand future climate-related disasters,” Vascotto said.

Nova Scotia is Canada’s largest seafood exporter, and the fund intends to invest $6.5 million over the next three years.

“The 150 members of the Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance are facing climate change at a very early age. From changing fisheries, climate-related natural disasters to the rising costs of energy itself, which helps turn wild-caught fish and seafood into a $2.6 billion contribution to the provincial economy, every member is feeling the pinch,” Vascotto added.

In a press release, the provincial government says that working with an on-site manager from EfficiencyOne, industry representatives have completed 100 efficiency projects, reducing emissions by more than 5,600 tons, the equivalent of taking 11,000 cars off the road in the last three years alone.