Aquaculture is going electric in Maine with the help of Aqua superPower and the US DOE

Leading marine charging network Aqua SuperPower, along with the United States Department of Energy, is helping bring more sustainability to Maine’s waters. Aquaculture specialist and oyster cultivator Maine Ocean Farms has received a grant from the government to deploy custom-built electric boats that will be recharged by Aqua superPower fast chargers.

Aqua superPower is no stranger to Electrek and is often involved whenever we cover a company helping electrify marine transportation.

The company controls an entire marine-specific, dockside network of fast chargers for electric boats, utilizing connected software and an accessible app for fast chargers specifically engineered and rated for use in marine environments.

As arguably the leader in electric boat charging infrastructure, we’ve covered several of Aqua superPowers partnerships and fast charger rollouts, including a partnership in late 2021 with Tritium and Swedish electric boast manufacturer X Shore.

In the fall of 2022, Ingenity Electric and Aqua superPower announced a new partnership in which the companies would jointly promote marine e-mobility in the sports and leisure boat sector while driving compatibility standards throughout.

Other collaborations include the ultra-swanky Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM), which became the company’s official charging partner in November 2023. In the US, Aqua superPower is helping other marine industries go electric, most recently in Maine, where an oyster cultivator recently garnered huge grants to deploy a new fleet of zero-emission aquaculture boats.

Maine Ocean Farms to deploy 100% electric boats

Aqua SuperPower shared details of its role in establishing electric boats in Maine. Per the release, Maine Ocean Farms has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the US Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, plus another $500,000 in matching funds.

This marine electrification project is being led by Aqua SuperPower, which will provide DC fast chargers to support Maine Ocean Farm’s electric boats through a partnership with Maine Clean Communities.

The custom electric boats themselves will be built by Fogg’s Boatworks in North Yarmouth, Maine, and will feature electric powertrains from marine tech leader Vita Power. Willy Leathers, Director of Farm Operations and Founding Partner of Maine Ocean Farms spoke about the grant and the incoming electric boats:

Maine Ocean Farms strives to continuously innovate our operations, embracing new technologies that can drive positive environmental change while supporting local economic growth. This project will demonstrate these technologies in action, providing data and real-time experience to other farmers and industry members.

The sustainable oyster cultivator says the electric workboats and Aqua superPower’s charging infrastructure will drastically cut its operation’s carbon footprint while minimizing noise, air, and water pollution. Thus leading to healthier marine ecosystems and improved water quality in Maine.

Lastly, the teams involved state the project will enable the gathering of real-time data to measure environmental and emissions reductions. Maine Ocean Farms will continue to collaborate with Vita Power to select the ideal system to transition its boats from ICE to electric.

The overall goal of the project is to showcase these sustainable marine technologies in action and provide a blueprint for other farmers in Maine and beyond to go electric.