EU project to provide over 400 new charging points for electric boats from Gothenburg to Kristiansand in Norway

Over 400 new charging points for electric boats in ports along the coast from Gothenburg all the way to Kristansand in Norway's Sørlandet. This is part of the content of a Swedish-Norwegian cooperation project that has now been granted EU funding. With a strong recreational boating culture, many ports, marine attractions and a tradition of boat manufacturing, the Skagerrak region is well placed for a rapid electrification transition. And Norway has already shown the way.

Sweden and Norway together have one million motorized recreational boats. Almost all of them run on fossil fuels and carbon dioxide emissions are estimated at over 400 000 tons per year plus environmentally harmful substances.

The Swedish-Norwegian electric boat charging project will create the conditions for establishing a charging route for electric boats in marinas between Gothenburg and Strömstad, into the Oslo Fjord and further south on the other side of the Skagerrak to Kristiansand in Norway. The project aims to participate in the green transition through electrification, smart technology and sustainable business models. Among other things, over 400 new charging points will be created.

- Some of us started talking about this back in 2018. Since then, a lot has happened around the electrification transition, not least in the automotive industry where electrification has really exploded. The fact that we are now getting this project approved with EU funds strengthens our conviction that we are right on time," says Madeleine Johansson, project manager at Business Region Göteborg.

Good conditions for transition
With a pronounced leisure boat culture, many ports, marine visitor destinations and a tradition of boat manufacturing, the Skagerrak region has good conditions for rapid transition in electric boat charging and related services. There are also relevant technology suppliers and good knowledge in vehicle electrification, where the project will take a closer look at certain parts of the shared use of charging infrastructure.

- "It will be exciting to work with another field in the ongoing electrification, boats with associated charging infrastructure and new power supply out in our coastal communities. It is not entirely wrong that we get a quieter and cleaner boating life in the summer, says Peter Berg, innovation leader in energy at Innovatum Science Park in Trollhättan.

"Great potential to accelerate the green shift"
Norway has come further with the transition of recreational boats compared to Sweden. For example, there has been an electric boat association for a few years with the aim of working for the green shift for leisure boats. In Arendal municipality, work is underway on both charging plans and charging maps, and the Lydløs electric boat festival is a well-attended arena for future boating.

- Arendal Municipality has been working towards the electrification of leisure boats for several years. Our new electric boat charging project is an exciting and visionary project that presents great opportunities for Nordic cooperation with the potential to accelerate the green shift in the leisure boat industry. We are pleased to be part of the project, and look forward to contributing to increasing interest and knowledge about zero emissions at sea. The expansion of the charging infrastructure for electric boats will also develop new jobs, industrial growth, green technology and export of products and services," says Ragnhild Hammer, Senior Advisor Climate and Environment, Arendal Municipality.

Electric Boat Charging Project work areas
The cooperation will take place under the name go:LEIF (Green Transition with Charging, Electrification and Infrastructure for Leisure Boats) and will run from March 1, 2023 to December 31, 2025.

Areas of work of the project:

• Increase interest and competence in electric boats and electric boat charging among ports, municipalities and boat enthusiasts.
• Providing charging infrastructure testbeds for testing and demo and business collaboration.
• Strengthen technology development and the region's business community in relevant areas.
• Research studies on recreational boating for knowledge building important for the development of electric boats and charging infrastructure.
• Charging business models, impact on electricity grids and potential to combine boat charging with renewable energy production.

The feasibility study that formed the basis of the project has been funded by Region Västra Götaland.

In addition to Business Region Göteborg, Innovatum Science Park and Agder Fylkeskommune, participants in the project include Fyrbodals Kommunalförbund, Göteborgsregionens fritidshamnar AB, Göteborgsregionens Kommunalförbund, Lysekils Energi Vind Aktiebolag, Lysekil Kommun, SSPA Sweden AB, Arendal kommune, Lydløs, Universitetet I Sørøst-Norge.

go:LEIF is co-financed by the European Union Interreg Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak and the Green Transition priority area.