National Audubon Society's first fully electric passenger boat launches at Hog Island

National Audubon Society's first fully electric passenger boat launches at Hog Island © National Audubon Society

A new electric-powered boat at Hog Island Audubon Camp is putting coastal resilience into practice, demonstrating how clean energy can support the people, organizations, and ecosystems that make Maine's coast thrive. This vessel is the first fully electric passenger boat in National Audubon Society's fleet.

The National Audubon Society's Seabird Institute, Island Institute, and ePropulsion, through its North American distributor Mack Boring & Parts, Co. have launched a refurbished pontoon boat powered by a 20-kilowatt ePropulsion X20 electric outboard motor at Hog Island Audubon Camp in Bremen.

The vessel transports people and supplies between the mainland, Hog Island and other coastal research operations from April through October. On busy operational days, the boat could make more than 25 round trips between Hog Island and the mainland.

"Hog Island is becoming Audubon's model for understanding environmental change and developing adaptation and resilience solutions," said Laurie Bragg, Center Director for Audubon's Seabird Institute. "It takes partnerships, expertise, creativity, and a willingness to invest in climate-friendly solutions to achieve a more resilient future. This investment from Island Institute and ePropulsion not only allows us to reduce our footprint, but it provides an opportunity to educate campers from across the country about coastal resilience."

For 90 years, Hog Island has been a place where people come to experience and learn about the Gulf of Maine. As the National Audubon Society's only residential camp facility, it brings together hundreds of campers, volunteers, researchers and other visitors each year to learn about conservation, ornithology, ecology and the natural world.

Now visitors have the opportunity to experience the benefits of electric outboards firsthand. Electric propulsion is significantly quieter than a conventional gasoline-powered outboard, reducing engine noise in an area used for wildlife observation and research. For Hog Island, the transition is also expected to save thousands of dollars in gasoline and future maintenance costs, while also reducing carbon emissions.

"For more than five years, we've worked alongside Maine's commercial boat operators to prove that electric propulsion can hold up on a working waterfront," said Lia Morris, Senior Community Development Officer at Island Institute. "Hog Island gives us a chance to bring that same work into a new setting and show just how many ways this technology can support coastal operations. The case for clean, quiet boats keeps getting stronger."

As Maine's working waterfronts face rising costs, climate impacts and aging infrastructure, electric propulsion offers an opportunity to make coastal operations more resilient. Since 2020, Island Institute has helped lead Maine's transition to marine electrification, working with commercial operators, technology companies and other partners to test and put electric propulsion to work on the water. Island Institute has supported the transition of 23 vessels to electric power across aquaculture, fishing and other coastal operations, using demonstration projects and real-world data to build confidence in the technology and identify opportunities for broader adoption. The Hog Island project expands that work into a new coastal application and demonstrates what cleaner, quieter marine operations can look like in Maine.

"It has been a pleasure working with Island Institute to help bring awareness of the capabilities of electric propulsion to the State of Maine, both in recreational and commercial applications," said Tom Watson, President of ePropulsion Americas. "Our cutting-edge technology provides quiet, sustainable and effective propulsion that allows visitors of Hog Island to enjoy the peaceful beauty of the region, without disturbing the natural habitat. We are grateful for this continued partnership with Island Institute and the trust of the National Audubon Society in allowing us to safeguard their guests and this fragile ecosystem."

Island Institute's electric boat initiative is made possible with funding support from Builders Vision, Maine Technology Institute, the State of Maine and corporate sponsors.

On Sept. 18, Island Institute and its partners brought together funders, state and local leaders, energy utilities, nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholders at Hog Island to see the boat in action, build awareness, and grow support for electric marine propulsion.