Electrification workshop: Leisure boats
On 27 January, the Periscope Network and Business Region Gothenburg organised a lively workshop on the electrification of leisure boats. The participants provided valuable inputs that will used in a study expected in spring 2021.
Electric leisure boats are a step in the right direction towards more sustainable and greener oceans, but several challenges need to be resolved. Which type of incentives are needed from different actors to overcome the obstacles? And which cities and regions are driving the development of electric leisure boats? These were some of the issues discussed during the online event, which was attended by around 50 participants from 14 countries. One of the conclusions was that actors from the industry and the public sector need common platforms where they can exchange knowledge and identify the necessary measures and funding needed to accelerate the electrification of leisure boats. There are also several interesting examples of knowledge transfer in the leisure boat segment today, for instance from the automotive industry, that can foster collaboration on different solutions and possible joint projects later on, helping to kick-start the market of electric leisure boats.
The outcome of the workshop will we summarized and used in a report that WSP will make on behalf of Periscope and Business Region Göteborg. The aim of the study will be to provide future scenarios for how the electrification progress regarding leisure boats can look like in the Nordics and the rest of Europe. It will also indicate how and what should be collaborated on to create sustainable development of leisure boats and marinas in Europe. Stay tuned!