The Environment Agency has won a bid to secure four new commercial electric boats, to help reduce carbon emissions along the Thames.
In addition, through the Zero Emissions Workboat Network (ZENOW), the government agency will gain two new charging points.
Zenow is a partnership of 15 UK marine businesses with the aim of developing the world’s largest network of electric workboats featuring 20 of the vessels.
It secured £4.1 million pounds worth of funding from the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions (UK Shore) bringing the total to £5.4 million; as well as providing the new Environment Agency Boats for the Thames it will also fund an electric workboat at Falmouth Harbour.
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Project partners of the initiative will monitor and analyse data usage until 2028 to demonstrate the efficacy of zero emissions solutions in a real-world environment and across a range of operational states.
The information will then be used to inform policy and regulation decisions and help to make the maritime sector less carbon intensive and greener.
“We are incredibly excited to have secured this funding. It means we can now trial four electric workboats and two charging points, free of charge. On the River Thames and in East Anglia, for the next three years,” said Environment Agency national navigation senior advisor Lisa Craddock.
“These will be the first electric boats of their kind in our fleet. They will be used for river enforcement, monitoring and maintenance and will make a significant contribution to our pledge to reduce our fleet boat emissions by 50%.”
“Many of our medium sized craft are approaching the end of their lives, so this bid is well timed in helping us make long term decisions on the technology we should be investing in.”
